- Today's Word
Affable
AF-uh-buhl
Definition
(adjective) Friendly, approachable, and pleasant in manner.
Example
His affable nature made him an instant favorite at every party.
Fun Fact
From Latin affari, meaning “to speak to,” affable describes someone who not only talks to others—but makes them feel comfortable while doing it. It’s frequently used in character profiles, political campaigns, and even performance reviews. Being affable isn’t just about being nice—it’s about being welcoming without trying too hard.
(adjective) Noisy, unruly, and difficult to control; stubbornly resistant to restraint or discipline.
The obstreperous crowd refused to disperse despite three separate announcements, their noise and defiance rising with every attempt to restore order.
Obstreperous derives from the Latin obstreperus, meaning “clamorous” or “noisy,” built from ob- (“against”) and strepere (“to make a noise” or “to rattle”). The root strepere is also the ancestor of strep in streptococcus — both words carrying the sense of something loud and disruptive making itself impossible to ignore. It entered English in the early 17th century, immediately acquiring its dual sense of both physical noisiness and the kind of willful, uncontainable defiance that produces it.