early 15c., "friendly, courteous," from Old French amable "loving; worthy of love, amicable, pleasant," from Latin amabilem "lovely," from amare "to love" (see Amy). Related: Amably; amability.
Entries linking to amable
Amy
fem. proper name, from Old French Amee, literally "beloved," from fem. past participle of amer "to love," from Latin amare "to love, be in love with; find pleasure in," Proto-Italic *ama- "to take, hold," from a PIE root meaning "take hold of," also the source of Sanskrit amisi, amanti "take hold of; swear;" Avestan *ama- "attacking power;" Greek omnymi "to swear," anomotos "under oath;" Old Irish namae "enemy." According to de Vaan, "The Latin meaning has developed from 'to take the hand of' [to] 'regard as a friend'."