Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Docile |
DocileAdjective1. Willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed; "the docile masses of an enslaved nation". 2. Ready and willing to be taught; "docile pupils eager for instruction"; "teachable youngsters". 3. Easily handled or managed; "a gentle old horse, docile and obedient". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "docile" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1321. (references) |
Etymology: Docile \Doc"ile\, adjective. [Latin expression docilis,fr. docere to teach; compare to Greek, and Latin discere to learn, Greek learned, knowing: compare to the French expression docile. Compare to Doctor, Didactic, Disciple.]. (references) |
Synonyms: DocileSynonyms: gentle (adj), teachable (adj). (additional references) |
| Antonym: stubborn (adj). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Learning | Adjective: studious; scholastic, scholarly; teachable; docile; (willing); apt; industrious. |
Willingness | Docile; persuadable, persuasible; suasible, easily persuaded, facile, easy-going; tractable; (pliant); genial, gracious, cordial, cheering, hearty; content; (assenting). |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Docile |
| English words defined with "docile": domesticate, domesticise, domesticize ♦ gentle ♦ meek ♦ petting zoo ♦ sheep ♦ tame, The gentle craft, Toward. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "docile": Hives ♦ Streptococcus pyogenes. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "docile": indocile. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Docile" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses. French (biddable, docile, manageable, obedient, pliable, pliant, submissive, tame, tractable, unstrained, yielding), Italian (amenable, biddable, docile, governable, lamblike, meek, soft, tame, tractable, workable), Latin (docile, easily taught, responsive, teachable). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Wendell, I'd like full and docile co-operation on every topic (L.A. Confidential; writing credit: Brian Helgeland) Docile men to do our work (Jekyll & Hyde; writing credit: Robert Louis Stevenson; David Wickes) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Perverse et docile (1970) Nuit docile (1987) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Music |
|
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Skunks are usually docile animals and will usually try to warn you before spraying you. Like the raccoon, the skunk comes out mostly at night. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Docile" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 95.83% of the time. "Docile" is used about 96 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 95.83% | 92 | 34,282 |
| Noun (singular) | 3.13% | 3 | 202,518 |
| Noun (proper) | 1.04% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 96 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
docile | 14 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "docile"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | i urtë (acquiescent, canny, compliant, ductile, meek, mild, placable, prudent, quiet, sage, sapient, sapiential, silent, Solomon, still, sweet-tempered, tame, wise), i shtruar (extended, extending, in-patient, paved, tractable), i gatshëm për të mësuar, i dëgjuar (celebrated, compliant, famous), i bindur (biddable, certain, cocksure, committed, compliant, convinced, dedicated, ductile, manageable, obedient, sequacious, submissive, well-behaved, wieldy). (various references) | |
Arabic | منصاع, قابل للتعليم (teachable), سهل الإنقياد (amenable, amenableness, bidder, docility, frail), طيع (biddable, malleable, manageable, plastic, pliable, tractable), راغب في التعليم. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | схватлив (apprehensive, apt, comprehensive, nimble, prehensile, quick, quick-witted, receptive, teachable), податлив на обработка. (various references) | |
Chinese | 温顺 (meek, meekness, tractability, tractable). (various references) | |
Czech | povolný (acquiescent, compliant, conforming, pliable, pliant, supple, tractable), poslušný (biddable, dutiful, obedient, submissive), poddajný (amenable, compliant, floppy, lithe, meek, pliable, pliant, submissive, supple, tame, yielding), krotký (domesticated, gentle, quiet, tame). (various references) | |
Farsi | مطیع (Able, Limber, Obedient, Submission, Submissive), تعلیم بردار, سربراه (Tractable), رام (Domestic, Inward, Manageable, Meek, Obedient, Tame). (various references) | |
Finnish | sävyisä (even-tempered, manageable, meek, mild, tractable), oppivainen (ready to learn). (various references) | |
French | docile. (various references) | |
German | gelehrig (manageable, quick to learn, teachable, teachably), fügsam (acquiescent, biddable, compliant, flexible, manageable, obedient, pliable, pliant, submissive, toward, tractable). (various references) | |
Greek | πειθήνιοσ (amenable, submissive), πειθήνιος (meek, obedient), υπάκουοσ (biddable, dutiful, obedient), υπάκοος, διδακτόσ (teachable). (various references) | |
Hebrew | מקבל מרות (amenable, disciplined, obedient, submissive, tractable), כ וע (obedient, submissive), ציתן (dutiful, obedient, tame), צית י (obedient, submissive, tractable), וח ללמו", כ ע (servile, submissive, tame). (various references) | |
Hungarian | tanulékony (biddable, supple, teachable, tractable), kezelhető (biddable, handleable, manageable, supple, ticklish, tractable, treatable). (various references) | |
Indonesian | lemah-lembut (gentle, mansuetude, sweet-tempered), jinak (tame). (various references) | |
Italian | arrendevole (accommodating, compliant, pliable, toward, yielding). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 直 (meek, obedient, unaffected), " (gentle, meek, obedient, submissive), 温 (tame), " (gentle, meek, obedient, submissive), " (gentle, meek, obedient, submissive), 大人しい (obedient, quiet). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | すなお (meek, obedient, unaffected), お"じゅ" (tame), おとなしい (obedient, quiet), じゅうじゅ" (gentle, meek, obedient, submissive). (various references) | |
Manx | feagh (at rest, calm, composed, piano, quiet, restful, still), biallagh (dutiful, obedient person, subject, submissive). (various references) | |
Norwegian | føyelig (complaisant). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | ocileday.(various references) | |
Portuguese | dócil (amenable, biddable, facile, gentle, kind, manageable, meek, obedient, submissive, tractable, yielding). (various references) | |
Romanian | docil (amenable, manageable, meek, obedient, teachable, tractable, yielding), blând (benign, bland, Clement, dovelike, easy-tempered, fair, genial, gentle, gently, good hearted, good natured, harmless, lenient, meek, mild, mildly, Pacific, passive, peaceable, placable, silken, soft, steady, sweet, tame, tender, tractable), ascultãtor (amenable, auditor, duteous, dutiful, hearer, listener, manageable, obedient, obediential, obediently, supple, tractable, yielding). (various references) | |
Russian | послушный (amenable, biddable, duteous, gentle, governable, manageable, obedient, sequacious, tractable, wieldly). (various references) | |
Scottish | soitheamh (affable, tame, tractable). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | poslušan (obedient, obsequious, sequacious, tractable), pitom (cultivated, tame). (various references) | |
Spanish | dócil (amenable, biddable, compliant, gentle, manageable, meek, mild, obedient, pliable, pliant, tame, tractable, yielding). (various references) | |
Swedish | foglig (accomodating, amenable, complaisant, compliant, ductile, flexible, tractable, yielding). (various references) | |
Thai | เชื่อง (domestic). (various references) | |
Turkish | yumuşak başlı (amenable, blancmange, compliant, dovelike, flexible, flexile, good tempered, kind, meek, obedient, pliable, pliant, soft, toward), uysal (accommodating, acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, Clement, compliant, demiss, ductile, easy, easygoing, facile, flexible, flexile, gentle, good humoured, good tempered, good-humored, lamblike, malleable, manageable, meek, milky, peaceful, pliant, soft, squeezable, submissive, supple, sweet-tempered, tame, toward, tractable, yielding), uslu (good, quiet, sedate, squeezable, tame, well-behaved). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | слухняний (amenable, biddable, conformable, dutiful, governable, kind, mild, obedient, obediential, obeisant, obsequious, passive, toward, tractable), тямущий (adept, alert, capable, comprehensive, cute, dexterous, intelligenced, smart, well-seen, wise). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | dễ sai khiến (workable), dễ bảo (meek, obedient, obsequious, tame, tractable), ngoan ngoãn (conformable, meek, submissive). (various references) | |
Welsh | hydyn (tractable), hydrin (amenable, tractable). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | docile, docilis. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | 1 Kings Chapter 3, Verse 9 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai dwseiV tw doulw sou kardian akouein kai diakrinein ton laon sou en dikaiosunh tou suniein ana meson agaqou kai kakou oti tiV dunhsetai krinein ton laon sou ton barun touton |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Dabis ergo servo tuo cor docile ut iudicare possit populum tuum et discernere inter malum et bonum quis enim potest iudicare populum istum populum tuum hunc multum |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | Thanne thou shalt yyue to thi seruaunt an able herte to lore, that he may deme thi puple, and knowe betwix good and yuel; forsothe who may deme this puple, thi puple thus myche? |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | Give your servant, then, a wise heart for judging your people, able to see what is good and what evil; for who is able to be the judge of this great people? |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | 1 Kings Chapter 3, Verse 9 |
| Cebuano | Busa hatagi ang imong ulipon sa usa ka masinabtanong kasingkasing sa paghukom sa imong katawohan, aron maila ko ang kalainan sa maayo ug dautan; kay kinsay makahimo sa paghukom niining imong daku nga katawohan? |
| Croatian | Podaj svome sluzi pronicavo srce da može suditi tvom narodu, razlikovati dobro od zla, jer tko bi mogao upravljati tvojim narodom koji je tako velik!" |
| Danish | Giv derfor din Tjener et lydhørt Hjerte, så han kan dømme dit Folk og skelne mellem godt og ondt; thi hvem kan dømme dette dit store Folk!" |
| Dutch | Geef dan Uw knecht een verstandig hart, om Uw volk te richten, verstandelijk onderscheidende tussen goed en kwaad; want wie zou dit Uw zwaar volk kunnen richten? |
| Finnish | Anna sentähden palvelijallesi kuuliainen sydän tuomitakseni sinun kansaasi ja erottaakseni hyvän pahasta; sillä kuka voi muuten tätä sinun suurta kansaasi tuomita?" |
| French | Accorde donc ton serviteur un coeur intelligent pour juger ton peuple, pour discerner le bien du mal! Car qui pourrait juger ton peuple, ce peuple si nombreux? |
| German | So wollest du deinem Knecht geben ein gehorsames Herz, daß er dein Volk richten möge und verstehen, was gut und böse ist. Denn wer vermag dies dein mächtiges Volk zu richten? |
| Haitian Creole | Tanpri, ban mwen lespri veyatif pou m' ka gouvènen pèp ou a san patipri, pou m' konn sa ki byen ak sa ki mal. Si se pa sa, ki jan m'a fè pou m' gouvènen pèp ou a ak tout moun sa yo ki ladan l'? |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Sebab itu, TUHAN, berikanlah kiranya kepadaku kebijaksanaan yang kuperlukan untuk memerintah umat-Mu ini dengan adil dan untuk dapat membedakan mana yang baik dan mana yang jahat. Kalau tidak demikian, mana mungkin aku dapat memerintah umat-Mu yang besar ini?" |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Maka sebab itu karuniakan apalah kepada hamba-Mu ini hati yang berbudi, akan memerintahkan segala umat-Mu, supaya dengan bijaksana dapat aku membedakan antara baik dengan jahat; karena siapa gerangan dapat memerintahkan bangsa sebesar ini? |
| Italian | Concedi al tuo servo un cuore docile perché sappia rendere giustizia al tuo popolo e sappia distinguere il bene dal male, perché chi potrebbe governare questo tuo popolo così numeroso?». |
| Maori | Heoi homai ki tau pononga he ngakau e mahara ana ki te whakahaere tikanga ki tau iwi, ki te wehe i te pai, i te kino: ko wai hoki e ahei te whakahaere tikanga mo tenei iwi nui au? |
| Norwegian | Så gi da din tjener et hørsomt hjerte til å dømme ditt folk, til å skille mellem godt og ondt! For hvem kunde ellers dømme dette ditt folk som er så tallrikt? |
| Portuguese | Dá, pois, a teu servo um coração entendido para julgar o teu povo, para que prudentemente discirna entre o bem e o mal; porque, quem poderia julgar a este teu tão grande povo? |
| Rumanian | Dq dar robului Tqu o inimq priceputq, ca sq judece pe poporul Tqu, sq deosebeascq binele de rqu! Cqci cine ar putea sq judece pe poporul Tqu, pe poporul acesta awa de mare la numqr!`` |
| Russian | "БТХК ЦЕ ТБ'Х фЧПЕНХ УЕТ""Е ТБЪХНОПЕ, ЮФП'Щ УХ"ЙФШ ОБТП" фЧПК Й ТБЪМЙЮБФШ, ЮФП "П'ТП Й ЮФП ЪМП; Й'П ЛФП НПЦЕФ Х ТБЧМСФШ ЬФЙН НОПЗПЮЙУМЕООЩН ОБТП"ПН фЧПЙН? |
| Swedish | Så giv nu din tjänare ett hörsamt hjärta, så att han kan vara domare för ditt folk och skilja mellan gott och ont; ty vem förmår väl eljest att vara domare för detta ditt stora folk?" |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "docile": docilely. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "docile": indocile, undocile. (additional references) | |
| |
"Docile" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: dacite, Dakole, decele, Decelle, dicite, Diocalm, Dioclea, Diocles, dobislav, docate, doci, docie, dociely, docil, dociley, docily, docime, Doclea, doctile, d'oeil, doice, doki, Dokle, doscile, dosie, Dosifey, dosil, dosile, dossile, dotil, Ducie, Duncalfe, ocale, Odcie, Odkolek, tocile. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "docile" (pronounced dÄ"sul) |
| 4 | -Ä" s u l | apostle, colossal, fossil, jostle, microfossil. |
| 3 | -s u l | antimissile, Axel, axle, basal, brasil, bristle, bustle, cancel, capsule, Castle, consul, council, counsel, diesel, dismissal, dispersal, dorsal, epistle, facile, fissile, gracile, gristle, Hansel, Hassel, hassle, housel, hustle, imbecile, stencil, tassel, Tattersall, tensile, Tercel, missal, missel, missile, morsel, mucosal, muscle, mussel, Nestle, parcel, Passel, pencil, pixel, Proconsul, rehearsal, reversal, rustle, Thistle, tinsel, tonsil, Tressel, trestle, tussle, universal, unsell, utensil, vassal, vessel, whistle, wrestle. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: coiled. | |
| Words within the letters "c-d-e-i-l-o" | |
-1 letter: coled, dolce, dolci, oiled, oldie, oleic. | |
-2 letters: cedi, ceil, clod, code, coed, coil, cold, cole, deco, deil, deli, dice, diel, diol, dole, iced, idle, idol, lice, lido, lied, loci, lode, odic. | |
-3 letters: cel, cod, col, del, die, doc, doe, dol, eld, ice, led, lei, lid, lie, ode, oil, old, ole. | |
-4 letters: de, do, ed. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-d-e-i-l-o" | |
+1 letter: cheloid, collide, collied, eidolic, melodic, oceloid, policed. | |
+2 letters: cheloids, chloride, cleidoic, cloddier, cloudier, clupeoid, collided, collider, collides, compiled, complied, cordlike, coverlid, disclose, docilely, domicile, ecocidal, helicoid, idiolect, inclosed, indocile, lodicule, melodica, myceloid, nucleoid, recoiled, scleroid, uncoiled, undocile, upcoiled. | |
+3 letters: balconied, bicolored, calorized, caprioled, celloidin, celluloid, chlorides, clarioned, cloddiest, clonidine, cloudiest, clupeoids, coalfield, coalified, coleading, colliders, colonised, colonized, colorized, comingled, cornfield, coverlids, creolised, creolized, crocodile, decillion, delicious, demonical, disclosed, discloser, discloses, dislocate, doleritic, domiciled, domiciles, dulcimore, focalised, focalized, frolicked, genocidal, glucoside, glycoside, helicoids, ideologic, idiolects, indolence, lidocaine, localised, localized, lodicules, logaoedic, logicised, logicized, melodicas, nucleoids, pedocalic, pedologic, poulticed, rockslide, rollicked, solecised, solecized, solicited, unpoliced, vocalised, vocalized. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Quotations: Non-fiction 7. Usage Frequency 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Translations: Ancient 11. Bible Trace 12. Derivations | 13. Rhymes 14. Anagrams 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
