amity

From Middle English amite, from Old French amisté, amitie, amistiet, from Vulgar Latin *amīcitātem, derived from Latin amīcus (“friend”), from amō (“love”).

• enPR: ăm′ĭ-tē
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæm.ɪ.ti/, [ˈæm.ɪ.ɾi]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: am‧i‧ty

amity (plural amities)

2. (formal, literary) Friendship; friendliness.
   • 1922, Thomas Hardy, “Welcome Home”, in Lyrics Late and Earlier:

     To my native place ¶ Bent upon returning, ¶ Bosom all day burning ¶ To be where my race ¶ Well were known, 'twas much with me ¶ There to dwell in amity.

3. Mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, especially between nations; peace; accord.

• This is a formal term and implies the cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis.

• friendliness
• friendship

• enmity
• hostility
• enemyship

• amiable
• amicable
• amorous

• William Dwight Whitney and Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1914), “amity, n.”, in The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language, revised edition, volumes I (A–C), New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 176, column 3.
• “amity”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “amity, n.”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 176, column 3.
• “amity”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• atimy