Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Characteristic of or behaving as a friend.
  • adjective Outgoing and pleasant in social relations.
  • adjective Favorably disposed; not antagonistic.
  • adjective User-friendly.
  • adjective Informal Easy to understand or use for a specified agent. Often used in combination.
  • adjective Informal Low in amount relative to a standard or regular circumstance. Often used in combination.
  • adverb In the manner of a friend; amicably.
  • noun One fighting on or favorable to one's own side.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Like a friend; disposed to confer benefits; kind.
  • Characteristic of or befitting a friend or friends; amicable; amiable: as, to be on friendly terms.
  • Not hostile; disposed to peace: as, a friendly power or state.
  • Favorable; propitious; salutary; conferring benefit: as, a friendly breeze or gale; rains friendly to ripening fruits.
  • Pertaining or belonging to the Society of Friends.
  • noun One who is friendly or acts as a friend; specifically, a native of a naturally hostile country who is not only not hostile, but who acts as a friend to a traveler, explorer, or the like.
  • In the manner of friends; in the way of friendship; with friendship.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A friendly person; -- usually applied to natives friendly to foreign settlers or invaders.
  • noun (Mil.) A member of one's own military forces, or of allied forces.
  • adverb obsolete In the manner of friends; amicably; like friends.
  • adjective Having the temper and disposition of a friend; disposed to promote the good of another; kind; favorable.
  • adjective Appropriate to, or implying, friendship; befitting friends; amicable.
  • adjective Not hostile.
  • adjective Promoting the good of any person; favorable; propitious; serviceable.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Generally warm, approachable and easy to relate with in character.
  • adjective Inviting, characteristic of friendliness.
  • adjective Having an easy relationship with something, as in user-friendly etc.
  • adjective Without any hostility, as in friendly competition.
  • adjective military Of or pertaining to friendlies (friendly noun sense 2, below). Also applied to other bipolar confrontations, such as team sports
  • adjective number theory Being or relating to two or more natural numbers with a common abundancy.
  • adverb In a friendly manner, like a friend.
  • noun sports A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting etc.
  • noun Person or entity on the same side of a conflict.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective easy to understand or use
  • adjective of or belonging to your own country's forces or those of an ally
  • adjective inclined to help or support; not antagonistic or hostile
  • adjective characteristic of or befitting a friend
  • noun troops belonging to or allied with your own military forces

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

friend + -ly

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Examples

  • Similar steps to friendly reviewer above, but not so friendly***

    Archive 2008-06-01 Brigindo 2008

  • The con is small and small-press friendly perhaps too friendly*, and generally put together.

    Nick Mamatas' Journal nihilistic_kid 2008

  • Similar steps to friendly reviewer above, but not so friendly***

    Writing: Highs and Lows Brigindo 2008

  • Your big mental outlook should make you feel friendly toward him as your prospect, and you can make the approach of _courage that is friendly_.

    Certain Success Norval A. Hawkins

  • The phrase "friendly divorce" may strike some as an oxymoron, but it is increasingly a trend and a real possibility.

    The Divorce Generation Susan Gregory Thomas 2011

  • Helen stared up at me, her expression friendly but quizzical.

    SAFE HOUSE MEG CABOT 2003

  • Helen stared up at me, her expression friendly but quizzical.

    SAFE HOUSE MEG CABOT 2003

  • "Does the term friendly neighborhood super hero mean anything to you?"

    The Sinister Six Combo Castro, Adam Troy 2001

  • Wu said the Chinese government is committed to developing what he called friendly and cooperative relations with Pyongyang.

    S. Korean Spy Chief: N. Korea Likely to Attack Again 2010

  • Wu said the Chinese government is committed to developing what he called friendly and cooperative relations with Pyongyang.

    S. Korean Spy Chief: N. Korea Likely to Attack Again 2010

Comments

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  • Noun. A blogger (or other "influencer" who works/writes on the web) with whom the speaker is "friendly," (adj.) or has a somewhat strong professional relationship. Plural: Friendlies.

    May 28, 2008