Amiable vs. amicable

What does amiable mean?

Amiable is an adjective which means having or displaying a pleasant or friendly manner. Amiable often refers to people.

For example:

·      They hired an amiable receptionist.

What does amicable mean?

Amicable is an adjective which means friendliness with an absence of quarrelling.

For example:

·      It’s best if we can have an amicable settlement.

What’s the difference between amiable and amicable?

Both amiable and amicable mean friendly, but amiable refers to people while amicable references relationships.

For example:

·      The amiable lawyer told them they must have an amicable settlement to avoid going to court.