congenialadj.
/kənˈdʒiːnɪəl/, U.S. /kənˈdʒinjəl/, /kənˈdʒiniəl/ 1.
a. Of persons and their attributes: Partaking of the same genius, disposition, or temperament; kindred, sympathetic. Const. with (sometimes to).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > liking or favourable regard > [adjective] > likeable or agreeable > congenial
congeniala1639
consocial1657
cogenial1774
all right1841
a1639 H. Wotton Parallel betweene Earle of Essex & Duke of Buckingham (1641) 2 A kind of congeniall composure (as wee may terme it) to the likenesse of our late Soveraigne and Master.
1647 J. Berkenhead Pref. Verses in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Wks. sig. d3v Fletcher's keen Trebble, and deep Beaumonts Base..Two, full, Congeniall soules.
1700 J. Dryden Fables Pref. sig. *Cijv I found I had a Soul congenial to his [Chaucer's].
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1752 I. 133 His religious and political notions [were] so congenial with those in which Mr. Langton had been educated.
1797 W. Godwin Enquirer i. xv. 137 With a soul congenial to the noblest.
1830 I. D'Israeli Comm. Life Charles I III. vi. 98 This great Painter [Rubens] found..in Charles..a congenial spirit.
1870 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (ed. 2) I. vi. 452 A prince whose tastes were in many respects congenial with his own.
b. Of things.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > [adjective]
samtalec1175
samentalea1300
accordingc1300
accordantc1350
covenablec1384
concordable1393
accorda1413
suant1418
consonant1489
convenablea1500
concordant1512
semblable1513
convenient1526
modulatec1530
harmonical1531
harmoniacal1536
agreeable1540
concurrent1542
suitable1568
concinne1569
harmonial1569
sympathical1570
tunable1573
coherenta1575
conspiring1576
well-consenting1579
well-consorted1583
congruous1599
high-tuned1603
symbolizing1611
unjarring1620
concording1627
congruenta1637
harmonious1638
friendlya1641
unclashing1642
complying1646
symphoniacal1650
consistent1651
consentaneous1652
consentivea1657
symbolical1667
concordiousa1670
sympathetic1673
congenerous1677
symbolizant1685
congenial1693
symphonious1743
harmonic1756
concentual1782
undiscordant1819
concordial1822
attuned1833
connate1836
sympathetical1848
concentuous1850
consenting1858
consilient1867
tuned in1958
1693 J. Dryden Disc. conc. Satire in J. Dryden et al. tr. Juvenal Satires p. ii You look with Pleasure on those things, which are somewhat Congenial, and of a remote Kindred to your own Conceptions.
1781 T. Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry III. xxi. 59 Poetry and music are congenial.
1823 I. D'Israeli Curiosities of Lit. 2nd Ser. I. 39 The congenial histories of literature and of art are accompanied by the same periodical revolutions.
2.
a. Suited or agreeable to one's temperament or disposition; to one's taste or liking. Const. to.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > capacity for emotion > fellow feeling > [adjective] > sympathetic > according with one's own feelings
connate1641
consocial1657
sympathetic1673
congenial1770
elementary1776
sympathetical1848
the mind > emotion > pleasure > quality of being pleasant or pleasurable > [adjective]
winsomea900
sweetc900
likingeOE
i-quemec950
lieflyOE
winlyOE
hereOE
thankfulc1000
merryOE
queemc1175
beina1200
willea1200
leesomec1200
savouryc1225
estea1250
i-wilc1275
winc1275
welcomea1300
doucea1350
well-pleasingc1350
acceptablea1382
pleasablea1382
pleasanta1382
pleaseda1382
acceptedc1384
amiablec1384
well-likinga1387
queemfulc1390
flattering1393
pleasinga1398
well-queeminga1400
comelyc1400
farrandc1400
greable1401
goodlyc1405
amicable?a1425
placablec1429
amene1433
winful1438
listyc1440
dulcet1445
agreeablec1450
favourousc1485
sweetly?a1500
pleasureful?c1502
dulcea1513
grate1523
prettya1529
plausible1541
jolly1549
dulcoratec1550
toothsome1551
pleasurable1557
tickling1558
suavec1560
amenous1567
odoriferous?1575
perfumed1580
glada1586
tickle1593
pleasurous1595
favoursome1601
dulcean1606
gratifying1611
Hyblaean1614
gratulatea1616
arrident1616
solacefula1618
pleasantable1619
placid1628
contentsome1632
sapid1640
canny1643
gustful1647
peramene1657
pergrateful1657
tastefula1659
complacent1660
placentiousa1661
gratifactorya1665
bland1667
suavious1669
palatable1683
placent1683
complaisant1710
nice1747
tasty1796
sweetsome1799
titbit1820
connate1836
cunning1843
mooi1850
gemütlich1852
sympathique1859
congenial1878
sympathetic1900
sipid1908
onkus1910
sympathisch1911
1770 O. Goldsmith Deserted Village 254 To me more dear, congenial to my heart.
1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall II. xlvii. 764 The controversies of the times were congenial to his temper and understanding.
1835 C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece I. viii. 334 The sea was an element never congenial to the spirit of Spartan warfare.
1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 339 The congenial task of following up his rival Syphax.
b. transferred. Suited to the nature of anything.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > [adjective]
goodeOE
rightOE
queemlOE
belonglOE
behovingc1175
limplyc1200
tidefula1300
avenantc1300
mackc1330
worthy1340
hemea1350
convenientc1374
seemlya1375
shapelyc1374
ablea1382
cordant1382
meetc1385
accordable1386
accordinga1387
appurtenantc1386
pertinentc1390
accordanta1393
likea1393
setea1400
throa1400
agreeablec1425
habilec1425
suitly1426
competentc1430
suiting1431
fitc1440
proportionablec1443
justc1450
congruent?a1475
cordinga1475
congruec1475
afferant1480
belonging1483
cordable1485
hovable1508
attainanta1513
accommodate1525
agreeing1533
respondent1533
opportunate?1541
appropriate1544
commode1549
familiar1553
apt1563
pliant1565
liable1570
sortly1570
competible1586
sortable1586
fitty1589
accommodable1592
congruable1603
affining1606
feated1606
suity1607
reputable1611
suited1613
idoneousa1615
matchable1614
suitablea1616
congruous1631
fitten1642
responsal1647
appropriated1651
adapt1658
mack-like1672
squared1698
homogeneous1708
applicable1711
unforeign1718
fitted1736
congenial1738
assorted1790
accommodatable1874
OK1925
1712 Ld. Shaftesbury Let. 6 Mar. in Characteristicks (1714) III. 404 Nothing is..so natural, so con-genial to the liberal Arts, as that reigning Liberty and high spirit of a People.]
1738 Med. Ess. & Observ. (ed. 2) IV. 397 These Things..relaxing the Solids by their kindly Heat (which some, fond of Words, would call congenial).
1813 Gentleman's Mag 83 ii. 296 When transplanted to the classic and congenial soil of Italy.
1868 C. Lyell Princ. Geol. (ed. 10) II. xxxv. 280 The food most congenial to this species..is abundantly distributed.
a. Belonging to any being from birth, or by nature; innate, natural, congenital adj. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > [adjective] > innate or natural
i-cundeeOE
fleshly971
kindlyOE
kindc1175
naturalc1275
kindc1390
innatea1420
nativea1425
inborn1513
innative1513
habitual1526
ingenerate1531
instincta1538
innated1545
inset1545
of one's nativity1582
inbreda1592
connatural1599
prognatec1600
ingenious1601
ingenit1604
congenite1610
connativea1618
intuitive1621
infusive1630
habituous1633
veined1633
genial1646
connatea1652
relollacean1654
relollaceous1657
relolleous1662
congenial1664
complanted1668
ingrown1670
ingenerated1677
unborrowed1704
cogenite1712
born1741
naturable1771
unacquired1793
congenerous1813
congenital1848
ingrain1852
indigenousa1864
ingenital1886
wired-in1957
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > types > [adjective] > congenital
congenial1775
congenital disease1796
ingenerate1822
autopathic1847
1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. iii. 158 The Magnetical Effluviums are not Innate and Congenial to the Stone, but proceed ab extrinseco.
1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. i. 42 Those more natural and congenial..[Ideas which the Soul] had in it self, underived from the Body.
a1711 T. Ken Wks. (1721) I. 102 Bless'd are all they, who..purge themselves from their congenial stain.
1775 P. Pott Chirurg. Wks. II. 309 The congenial hernia.
1775 P. Pott Wks. (1783) II. 23 To distinguish the common rupture from the congenial in infants.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > source or principle of life > birth > [adjective]
natal1447
natalitial1611
natalitious1646
congenial1721
1721 K. Chetwood Life Virgil in J. Dryden tr. Virgil Wks. (ed. 5) I. 65 Virgil suppos'd Souls to ascend again to their proper and congeneal Stars.
1721 in J. Dryden tr. Virgil Wks. (ed. 5) Georgics iv. 332 They mount the Sky, And to their own congenial Planets fly.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth III. 213 In animals, the climate may be considered as congenial, and a kind of second nature.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > similarity > [adjective]
ylikeeOE
likeOE
anlikeOE
accordanta1325
of a (also one) mouldc1330
kindred1340
lichy1370
likelyc1384
alikea1393
ontinkela1400
evenly?c1400
similable?a1440
semble1449
of a sort1463
seemable1501
uniform1548
resembled1553
self-like1556
like-natured1566
resembling1573
kindlike1579
of the same, that, every, etc. feather1581
resemblant1581
marrow1585
similar1586
like-seeming1590
twin-like1599
connatural1601
similary1610
semblativea1616
otherlike1620
like-shaped1640
connate1641
homogeneous1641
consimilar1645
congenerous1646
resemblancing1652
congeniousa1656
congenerate1657
equaliform1660
congenial1669
similitive1678
symbolizant1685
synonymous1690
of akin1723
consimilary1736
like-sized1742
cogeneric1777
alike as a row of pins1785
congenerica1834
Siamese1833
congener1867
lak1881
sorty1885
homoeomorphic1902
homogenized1958
1669 W. Simpson Hydrologia Chymica 87 These Diseases being congenial in their causes, are the same in their Cures.
1751 J. Harris Hermes i. x. 188 In natural Species, which are congenial and of kin.
a1780 J. Harris Philol. Inq. (1781) ii. Intro. 45 All languages are in some degree congenial, and..founded upon the same Principles.
1804 W. Mitford Inq. Princ. Harmony Lang. (ed. 2) 357 The Hebrew..and the congenial dialects of Chaldea, Syria, and Arabia.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.a1639