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Personable vs Affable - What's the difference?

personable | affable | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between personable and affable

is that personable is having a pleasing appearance or manner; attractive; handsome; friendly; amiable while affable is receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; friendly, courteous, sociable.

personable

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete) * (l) (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (of a person) Having a pleasing appearance or manner; attractive; handsome; friendly; amiable.
  • * Spenser
  • Wise, warlike, personable , courteous, and kind.
  • * 1822 , , The Fortunes of Nigel , ch. 19:
  • I admit him a personable man, for I have seen him; and I will suppose him courteous and agreeable.
  • * 1908 , , A Room With a View , ch. 12:
  • Barefoot, bare-chested, radiant and personable against the shadowy woods, he called: "Hullo, Miss Honeychurch! Hullo!"
  • * 1919 , . The Sun Of Quebec , ch. 5:
  • I'm bound to admit that you're a personable young rascal, with the best manners I've met in a long time.
  • * 2009 , Randy James, " 2-Min. Bio: Stephanie Birkitt: Letterman's Lover?," Time , 5 Oct.:
  • Aside from being incredibly funny and personable he is generous, kind and is great fun to play catch with.
  • (legal) Enabled to maintain pleas in court.
  • (Cowell)
  • Having capacity to take anything granted.
  • affable

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Receiving others kindly and conversing with them in a free and friendly manner; friendly, courteous, sociable.
  • * 1912 : James Burrill Angell, , chapter ix "Mission To The Ottoman Empire"
  • Furthermore, I may say, that the Sultan was always most affable to me in my interviews with him, even when I had to discuss some missionary questions. In fact, I never saw any traces of the difficulties which Mr. Terrell reported.
  • Mild; benign.
  • * 1998 : Alexia Maria Kosmider, Tricky Tribal Discourse , page 84
  • During more affable weather, the four friends congregate outside, sometimes leaning their hickory chairs against a "catapa" tree...

    Synonyms

    * accessible, civil, complaisant, courteous, friendly, gracious * benign, mild, warm

    Derived terms

    * affability * affableness * affably