agreeableness
UK[əˈɡriːəblnəs]US[əˈɡriːəblnəs]
n
the quality of being pleasant, friendly, and easy to like
n
(in psychology) a personality trait characterized by trust, kindness, and cooperation
Morpheme Breakdown
agree
able
ness
agree
to please
able
capable of
ness
state or quality
Etymology
the word "agreeableness" is a layered construction built upon the old french verb "agreer", meaning "to please or be pleasing". this verb itself originated from the latin phrase "ad grātum", meaning "to what is pleasing". the suffix "-able" was attached to form the adjective "agreeable", signifying "capable of pleasing". finally, the old english nominalizing suffix "-ness" was added to create an abstract noun denoting the enduring state or quality of being pleasant and congenial. this etymological journey, from a concrete action of pleasing to an abstract personality trait, perfectly illustrates the logical development of the modern psychological term from its literal roots.
Analysis
Structure: agree (to please) + able (capable of) + ness (state or quality)
agree: from old french "agreer", meaning "to please, satisfy, consent". its functional role is the core semantic root.
able: from latin "-abilis", a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, tending to". its functional role is to turn the verb into an adjective.
ness: from old english "-nes", a suffix forming nouns of state or quality. its functional role is to nominalize the adjective.
Examples
her natural agreeableness made her very popular among her colleagues.
the agreeableness of the climate was a major factor in their decision to move.
in the five-factor model, agreeableness is contrasted with antagonism.