What does "amity" mean?
Friendship; friendliness.
Amity
/ˈæmɪti/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Friendship; friendliness.
- Grammar: amity is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: cordiality, accord, accordance, affinity.
- Useful contrasts: animosities, animosity, antagonism.
- Usage evidence: The two countries signed a treaty of amity and cooperation.
How to use "amity"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "amity" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "amity" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "amity" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "amity" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "amity" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cordiality" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "amity", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Friendship; friendliness. formal, literary
"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."
- 2 a cordial disposition wordnet
- 3 Mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, especially between nations.
"Near-synonyms: accord, concord, harmony, peace, peacefulness"
- 4 a state of friendship and cordiality wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A female given name.
"The first time I saw Amity we were in front of her house playing work-up, a baseball variation where you move from position to position by outs until you get to bat."
- 2 A number of places in the United States:; A neighbourhood of New Haven, Connecticut.
- 3 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Georgia.
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; Former name of Pocahontas, Illinois.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Johnson County, Indiana.
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Aroostook County, Maine.
- 7 A number of places in the United States:; A village in DeKalb County, Missouri.
- 8 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Allegany County, New York.
- 9 A number of places in the United States:; A hamlet in Warwick, Orange County, New York.
- 10 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Knox County, Ohio.
- 11 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Canaan Township, Madison County, Ohio.
- 12 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Ohio.
- 13 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Yamhill County, Oregon.
- 14 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
- 15 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania.
- 16 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Comanche County, Texas.
- 17 A number of places in the United States:; A number of townships in the United States, listed under Amity Township.
- 18 A town in Redland City, Queensland, Australia, located on North Stradbroke Island.
Example
"The two countries signed a treaty of amity and cooperation."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "amity"?
Common synonyms include: cordiality, accord, accordance, affinity, agape, agreement.
How do you use "amity" in a sentence?
The two countries signed a treaty of amity and cooperation.
How do you pronounce "amity"?
Pronounced /ˈæmɪti/.
Etymology
From Middle English amite, from Old French amisté, amitie, amistiet, from Vulgar Latin *amīcitātem, derived from Latin amīcus (“friend”), from amō (“love”).