facile Meaning, Definition & Usage

adjective satellite arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth
- too facile a solution for so complex a problem
adjective satellite performing adroitly and without effort
- a facile hand
adjective satellite expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
silver-tongued; eloquent; fluent; smooth-spoken; silver.
- able to dazzle with his facile tongue
- silver speech

L. facilis, prop., capable of being done or made, hence, facile, easy, fr. facere to make, do: cf. F. facile. Srr Fact, and cf. Faculty.

Easy to be done or performed: not difficult; performable or attainable with little labor.
Order . . . will render the work facile and delightful. Evelyn.
Easy to be surmounted or removed; easily conquerable; readily mastered.
The facile gates of hell too slightly barred. Milton.
Easy of access or converse; mild; courteous; not haughty, austere, or distant; affable; complaisant.
I meant she should be courteous, facile, sweet. B. Jonson.
Easily persuaded to good or bad; yielding; ductile to a fault; pliant; flexible.
Since Adam, and his facile consort Eve, Lost Paradise, deceived by me. Milton.

This is treating Burns like a child, a person of so facile a disposition as not to be trusted without a keeper on the king's highway. Prof. Wilson.
Ready; quick; expert; as, he is facile in expedients; he wields a facile pen. -- Fac"ile-ly, adv. -- Fac"ile*ness, n.