What is "amity"

Amity \Am"i*ty\, n.; pl. Amities. [F. amiti['e], OF. amisti['e], amist['e], fr. an assumed LL. amisitas, fr. L. amicus friendly, from amare to love. See Amiable.] Friendship, in a general sense, between individuals, societies, or nations; friendly relations; good understanding; as, a treaty of amity and commerce; the amity of the Whigs and Tories.

To live on terms of amity with vice.
--Cowper.

Syn: Harmony; friendliness; friendship; affection; good will; peace. [1913 Webster] ||

mid-15c., "friendly relations," from Old French amitie (13c.); earlier amistie (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *amicitatem (nominative *amicitas) "friendship," corresponding to Latin amicitia, from amicus (adj.) "friendly;" related to amare "to love" (see Amy).

n. 1 (context formal literary English) friendship. The cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. 2 Mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship, especially between nations; peace; accord.

1. n. a cordial disposition [syn: cordiality]

2. a state of friendship and cordiality

Amity, a word which means "friendly relationship between countries and people", can also refer to:

The valley of Amity is an area located partly in the town of Woodbridge, Bethany, and Orange, Connecticut and partly in the city of New Haven. It is bounded on the northeast by the West Rock ridge, on the south by the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, and on the northwest by an incline in elevation above which lies the highlands of Woodbridge, Connecticut. The official New Haven neighborhood planning maps include the traditionally separate neighborhoods of West Hills (vicinity of Valley Street) and Beverly Hills (area between Whalley Avenue and Fountain Street) within the Amity neighborhood.

Amity is a glacial valley carved by the West River which flows in a southerly direction along the western flank of West Rock ridge.

Three primary highways serve the valley of Amity:

• Route 15, also known as the Wilbur Cross Parkway, a limited access highway which has a full interchange numbered as Exit 59.
• Route 63 (Amity Road), which runs northwest-southeast between the Westville section of New Haven and the Woodbridge highlands.
• Route 69 (Litchfield Turnpike), which runs north-south parallel to the western flank of West Rock Ridge.

The waterway at the lowest elevation of Amity valley is the West River.

Located in Amity valley is the western outlet of the Heroes Tunnel, a twin tunnel which carries the Wilbur Cross Parkway through approximately of solid traprock beneath West Rock Ridge. It is the only tunnel on a limited-access highway in the state of Connecticut. The southbound roadway on the Wilbur Cross Parkway ascends sharply when exiting from the Heroes Tunnel, climbing over in less than , the steepest inclination on any limited-access highway in the State of Connecticut. When travelling northbound on the Wilbur Cross Parkway approaching toward Exit 59, the roadway descends sharply into Amity valley, offering a scenic vista of the West Rock Ridge, the twin tubes of the Heroes Tunnel, the City of New Haven to the south, and the glacial valley of Amity which opens to the north.

Amity valley is home to its namesake Amity Shopping Center, and is located approximately southeast of Amity Regional High School.

The Amity was a 148-ton brig used in several notable voyages of exploration and settlement in Australia in the early nineteenth century.

She was built in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1816 and for several years was used as a merchant trading vessel between America and Britain.