Basic Details
Word: Amicable
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Friendly and without quarrelling, especially when people settle a disagreement.
Synonyms: friendly, cordial, peaceful, harmonious
Antonyms: hostile, unfriendly, bitter
How to Spell Amicable
Syllables: am - i - ca - ble
Tricky part: Students write amicible, but this word takes -able. There is only one c, with no k after it.
Watch out for: amicible, amickable, ammicable
Memory tip: Ami is the French word for friend. Picture a cable tying two friends together: ami + cable.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The two neighbours reached an amicable agreement about the shared wall.
Example 2: Even after the match, the rival captains stayed on amicable terms.
Example 3: The brothers divided the family land in an amicable way.
Fun Fact
In maths, 220 and 284 are called amicable numbers: the factors of each one, leaving out the number itself, add up exactly to the other.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word amicable as used in the sentence:
After a long discussion, the two companies ended their partnership in an amicable way.
a) cordial
b) peaceful
c) friendly
d) hostile
Show answer
d) hostile. A hostile parting is angry and unfriendly, the reverse of an amicable one.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
am_c_ble
a) a, a
b) i, a
c) e, a
d) i, i
Show answer
b) i, a. It starts with ami, friend, and ends with -able.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. treety 2. ambasador 3. amicable 4. negociate
a) a formal written agreement between countries
b) to talk with others to settle the terms of a deal
c) friendly and without quarrelling
d) an official who represents a country in another country
Show answer
c) friendly and without quarrelling. With ami at the front and -able at the end, amicable is the only word in this list spelt correctly.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
Their parting was ablcemia, with hugs and promises to write.
a) amiable
b) applicable
c) malleable
d) amicable
Show answer
d) amicable. Amiable has no c and malleable two l's; the c and b here make amicable.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. An amicable settlement is one in which both sides ____.
a) go to war
b) agree peacefully
c) refuse to talk
d) call the police
Show answer
b) agree peacefully
2. Amicable is most often used to describe ____.
a) the weather
b) a building
c) a type of food
d) an agreement or relationship
Show answer
d) an agreement or relationship
