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Origin and history of docile

docile(adj.)

late 15c. (Caxton), "easily taught, quick to learn," from Italian or French docile, from Latin docilis "easily taught," from docere "to show, teach, cause to know," originally "make to appear right," causative of decere "be seemly, fitting," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept." Sense of "obedient, submissive, easily managed, tractable" is recorded by 1774. Middle English also had docible "ready or willing to teach" (c. 1400).

also from late 15c.

Entries linking to docile

indocile(adj.)

c. 1600, from French indocile (15c.) or directly from Latin indocilis, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + docilis (see docile).

*dek-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to take, accept."

It might form all or part of: condign; dainty; decent; decor; decorate; decorous; deign; dignify; dignity; diplodocus; disciple; discipline; disdain; docent; Docetism; docile; docimacy; doctor; doctrine; document; dogma; dogmatic; doxology; heterodox; indignance; indignant; indignation; indignity; orthodox; paradox; synecdoche.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit daśasyati "shows honor, is gracious," dacati "makes offerings, bestows;" Greek dokein "to appear, seem, think," dekhesthai "to accept;" Latin decere "to be fitting or suitable," docere "to teach," decus "grace, ornament."

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    stubborn
    late 14c., "obstinate, refractory," a word of persistently difficult etymology. First in literary use out of the mouth of Chaucer's Dame Alice: I was yong and ful of ragerye, Stibourne and strong and ioly as a pye. [Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale] But a Simon Stubourne turns
    gentle
    early 13c., gentile, gentle "well-born, of noble rank or family," from Old French gentil/jentil "high-born, worthy, noble, of good family; courageous, valiant; fine, good, fair" (11c., in Modern French "nice, graceful, pleasing; fine, pretty") and directly from Latin gentilis "of
    sheepish
    Originally "meek, modest, docile, simple," often as qualities of good Christians....
    tame
    compliant, intent on homely or domestic activities" (mid-13c.), from oblique forms of Old English tom, tam "domesticated, docile...Gentle animals are the naturally docile; tame animals are made so by the art of man....
    meek
    Sense of "submissive, obedient, docile" is from c. 1300....
    debonair
    Used in Middle English to mean "docile, courteous," it became obsolete and was revived with an altered sense of "pleasantly...
    spaniel
    The disparaging figurative sense of "mean, cringing, fawning person" is by 1590s, in reference to the animal's docile and...
    protagonist
    1670s, "principal character in a story, drama, etc.," from Greek prōtagōnistēs "actor who plays the chief or first part," from prōtos "first" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, first, chief") + agōnistēs "actor, competitor," from agōn "contest" (from PIE root
    obsess
    c. 1500, "to besiege" (a sense now obsolete), from Latin obsessus, past participle of obsidere "watch closely; besiege, occupy; stay, remain, abide" literally "sit opposite to," from ob "against" (see ob-) + sedere "to sit," from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit." Of evil spirits, "to
    prerogative
    "special right or privilege granted to someone; characteristic right inhering in one's nature, office, or position," late 14c., prerogatif, (in Anglo-Latin from late 13c.), from Old French prerogative (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prerogativa "special right," from Latin

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