docile
DOSS-eyel
/ˈdɒsaɪl/
Ready to accept control or instruction; submissive and easily managed.
Implies a gentle, quiet disposition that makes one easy to teach, lead, or tame without resistance.
The story behind the word. From Latin docilis (teachable), from docere (to teach). It originally meant apt to learn before shifting to easily managed.
Word relationships
- tractable: Tractable means easy to manage or shape, while docile emphasizes a gentle, quiet nature.
- refractory: Refractory means stubbornly resistant to authority, while docile means easily managed.
Commonly confused with
- tame: Tame means domesticated or not wild, while docile describes a cooperative temperament.
Word family
- docility (noun): The quality of being docile.
- docilely (adverb): In a docile manner.
Collocations
- docile animal
- docile temperament
- docile and obedient
Example sentences
- "The once wild horse became docile and easy to ride." Describing a well-behaved animal.
Memory hook
A docile animal is easy for a doctor or doc to treat because it doesn't bite. Docile = Teachable and easily led.
When not to use
Do not use to describe someone who is actively groveling or slavish; use servile or obsequious instead.
Fun facts
- Docile shares a root with doctor, document, and doctrine, all of which trace back to the Latin word for teaching.
Related words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.