Make Your Point > Archived Issues > COMPANIONABLE
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pronounce
COMPANIONABLE:
Say it "come PAN yun uh bull."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
When you spot "pan" inside a word, it's often a Greek-derived tidbit meaning "all, whole, or every," like in our words pana___ ("something that fixes everything") and panop_____ ("something that lets you see everything at once, usually in a creepy, Big-Brother kind of way").
But other times, when you spot "pan," it's a Latin tidbit meaning "bread," like in the words pantry, panini, marzipan, empanada, Panera Bread (Hey, is that redundant? Yup, it means "Bread Basket Bread"), panem __ ________ ("bread and circuses: food and entertainment that distracts from important issues"), and companionable, the word we're checking out today.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "company" has Latin roots that literally mean "(someone you eat) bread with." (In Latin, companio means "bread fellow.")
Whether or not you're actually eating together, a companion is someone you spend time with: someone whose company you enjoy.
Companionship is that warm, relaxed sense of enjoyment you get from spending time with your favorite companions.
And companionable people are easy and enjoyable to spend time with.
Things, too, can be companionable if they're filling you with the warm, relaxed sense of not being alone.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "She was so companionable;" "I miss her companionable presence."
Other common forms:
Companion(s), companionably, companionability (or, if you must, "companionableness").
how to use it:
"Companionable" is semi-common, with a warm, positive tone.
We talk about companionable people, pets, personalities, presences, smiles, laughter, conversation, meals, hours, days, etc.
Often we get figurative and talk about companionable sounds: "the companionable twang of his guitar," "the companionable hum of the space heater."
examples:
"Old men hold forth on benches, arguing companionably over cards."
— Bonnnie Tsui, New York Times, 24 January 2014
"Is this why it is almost impossible to stop reading a story of Lucia Berlin's once you begin? Is it because things keep happening? Is it also the narrating voice, so engaging, so companionable?"
— Lydia Davis, The New Yorker, 12 August 2015
has this page helped you understand "companionable"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "companionable" without saying "offering good company" or "pleasant to be with."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Something) makes a companionable (kind of sound)."
Example 1: "Layla sits on my lap, emitting a companionable purr."
Example 2: "Bottles... made a companionable click in his worn carpet bag." —Toni Morrison
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Crossword Clues: Movie Titles!
Use the movie title as a clue to come up with a word we've studied. For example, if the clue is "The Great Escape. 6 letters. _ E C _ M _," then the answer is "DECAMP," a word meaning "to get the heck out of there." To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
Singin' in the Rain.
7 letters.
S K _ _ _ R _.
review this word:
A. an AWKWARD silence.
B. an EXTENDED silence.
C. an ASTOUNDED silence.
2.
In a novel, Natalie Babbitt wrote: "'Might as well _____,' he wheezed, suddenly companionable."
A. try
B. relax
C. discuss it
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
When you spot "pan" inside a word, it's often a Greek-derived tidbit meaning "all, whole, or every," like in our words pana___ ("something that fixes everything") and panop_____ ("something that lets you see everything at once, usually in a creepy, Big-Brother kind of way").
The word "company" has Latin roots that literally mean "(someone you eat) bread with." (In Latin, companio means "bread fellow.")
Part of speech:
"Companionable" is semi-common, with a warm, positive tone.
"Old men hold forth on benches, arguing companionably over cards."
Explain the meaning of "companionable" without saying "offering good company" or "pleasant to be with."
Fill in the blanks: "(Something) makes a companionable (kind of sound)."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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