friendly Meaning & Definition
What Does Friendly Mean?
Friendly is an adjective that means Generally warm, approachable and easy to relate with in character. It can also mean Inviting, characteristic of friendliness. As a noun, it means A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting, etc. As an adverb, it means In a friendly manner; like a friend.
Friendly at a Glance
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, adverb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈfɹɛnd.li// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | affable, amiable and cordial |
| Antonyms | hostile, unfriendly and non-friendly |
| Plural | friendlies |
| Comparative / superlative | friendlier, friendliest |
Friendly Definition (Adjective)
- Generally warm, approachable and easy to relate with in character.
Your cat seems very friendly.
- Inviting, characteristic of friendliness.
He gave a friendly smile.
- Having an easy or accepting relationship with something.
a user-friendly software program
- Compatible with, or not damaging to (the compounded noun).
The cobbled streets aren't very bike-friendly.
- Without any hostility.
a friendly competition
- Promoting the good of any person; favourable; propitious.
a friendly breeze or gale
- Of or pertaining to friendlies (friendly noun sense 2, below). Also applied to other bipolar confrontations, such as team sports.
The soldier was killed by friendly fire.
- Being or relating to two or more natural numbers with a common abundancy.
friendly
Friendly as a Noun
- A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting, etc.
This match is merely a friendly, so don't worry too much about it.
- A person or entity on the same side as one's own in a conflict.
Friendly as an Adverb
- In a friendly manner; like a friend.
Noun
- A person or entity on the same side in a conflict.
Adjective
- (in compounds) Compatible with, or not damaging to (the compounded noun).
Organic farms only use soil-friendly fertilisers.
Synonyms of Friendly
Antonyms of Friendly
Friendly in a Sentence
Your cat seems very friendly.
He gave a friendly smile.
a user-friendly software program
a dog-friendly café
the use of environmentally friendly packaging
The cobbled streets aren't very bike-friendly.
Organic farms only use soil-friendly fertilisers.
Our sandwiches are made with dolphin-friendly tuna.
a friendly competition
a friendly power or state
a friendly breeze or gale
The soldier was killed by friendly fire.
friendly
friendly pairs
friendly n-tuples
This match is merely a friendly, so don't worry too much about it.
Word Forms & Grammar
friendly (comparative friendlier or more friendly, superlative friendliest or most friendly)
friendly (plural friendlies)
friendly (comparative more friendly, superlative most friendly)
Words That Rhyme With Friendly
Origin of Friendly
Origin 1: From Middle English frendly, freendly, frendely, frendlich, from Old English frēondlīċ, from Proto-Germanic *frijōndlīkaz, equivalent to friend + -ly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian früntelk, fjuntelk (“friendly”), West Frisian freonlik (“friendly”), Dutch vriendelijk (“friendly”), German Low German fründelk, frünnelk (“friendly”), German freundlich (“friendly”). Doublet of friendlike.
Origin 2: From Middle English frendly, frendliche, from Old English frēondlīċe (“in a friendly manner”), equivalent to friend + -ly.
Pronouncing Friendly
You say friendly as //ˈfɹɛnd.li//. It has 1 syllable.
Questions People Ask About Friendly
Is friendly an adjective or a noun?
Friendly is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and an adverb.
What is another word for friendly?
Close synonyms of friendly are affable, amiable and cordial. See the full list of friendly synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of friendly?
Words opposite in meaning to friendly are hostile, unfriendly, non-friendly and nonfriendly.
What is the plural of friendly?
The plural of friendly is friendlies.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of friendly?
The comparative form is friendlier and the superlative form is friendliest.