docilitas

Docilitas is a Latin noun meaning teachability or docility. It designates the quality of being open to instruction, guidance, or influence, and the willingness to adjust one’s beliefs or behavior in response to valid reasons or authority. The term is formed from the adjective docilis, “teachable,” which itself derives from the verb docere, “to teach,” with the abstract noun suffix -tas.

In classical and medieval usage, docilitas was often treated as a virtue or desirable trait in students, followers, or subordinate figures, emphasizing receptiveness to instruction without obstinacy. In moral and theological contexts, it can describe a readiness to accept divine revelation or ecclesiastical guidance, as well as humility before proven wisdom.

In modern discussions, the concept is frequently contrasted with obstinacy or intellectual rigidity. Contemporary psychology and education distinguish teachability as a dynamic quality that supports learning, while also recognizing the need for critical thinking and autonomous judgment. Thus, healthy docilitas is viewed as adaptive: the capacity to revise beliefs when warranted, balanced with reflective evaluation and agency.

See also: docile, docility, teachability, pliancy.