Word of the Day - 04/18/26
amenable
/ə'minəbəl/(adj.): open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled
She was amenable to the idea of a last-minute road trip, as long as coffee stops were guaranteed.
(adj.): capable of being acted upon in a particular way
The soft clay was highly amenable, allowing the sculptor to shape it into intricate figures with ease.
Word Origin
The word 'amenable' originates from the Old French 'amener', meaning 'to lead to' or 'to bring'. This itself is composed of 'a-' (to) and 'mener' (to lead). 'Mener' traces back to the Vulgar Latin *minare, meaning 'to drive animals' or 'to goad', which is related to the Classical Latin 'minari' (to threaten) and 'minae' (threats). Initially, 'amenable' in English meant 'liable to be brought before a court' or 'answerable'. Its modern sense of 'responsive to suggestion or influence' or 'agreeable' developed later.
Words with similar origins include 'menace' (from Latin 'minae', threats), 'demeanor' (from Old French 'demener', to conduct oneself, ultimately from 'mener'), and 'promenade' (from French 'promener', to walk, also involving 'mener').