AMITY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does amity mean? 

• AMITY (noun)
  The noun AMITY has 2 senses:

1. a cordial disposition

2. a state of friendship and cordiality

  Familiarity information: AMITY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AMITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A cordial disposition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

amity; cordiality

Hypernyms ("amity" is a kind of...):

friendliness (a friendly disposition)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A state of friendship and cordiality

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("amity" is a kind of...):

peace (the state prevailing during the absence of war)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "amity"):

peaceableness; peacefulness (a state that is calm and tranquil)

Derivation:

amiable (diffusing warmth and friendliness)

 Context examples 

If not amity, at least neutrality must obtain.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

They are strangers to bridle or saddle; they live in great amity with me and friendship to each other.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I yet lingered half-an-hour longer, hoping to see some sign of amity: but she gave none.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It spoke such perfect amity.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The whole being explained, many obliging things were said by the Miss Thorpes of their wish of being better acquainted with her; of being considered as already friends, through the friendship of their brothers, etc., which Catherine heard with pleasure, and answered with all the pretty expressions she could command; and, as the first proof of amity, she was soon invited to accept an arm of the eldest Miss Thorpe, and take a turn with her about the room.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The envoy further added, that in order to maintain the peace and amity between both empires, his master expected that his brother of Blefuscu would give orders to have me sent back to Lilliput, bound hand and foot, to be punished as a traitor.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I had left this woman in bitterness and hate, and I came back to her now with no other emotion than a sort of ruth for her great sufferings, and a strong yearning to forget and forgive all injuries—to be reconciled and clasp hands in amity.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It did assist; for though he began with grave looks and short questions, he was soon led on to talk of them all in the usual way, and to take the child out of her arms with all the unceremoniousness of perfect amity.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)