tame / tām/ • adj. 1. (of an animal) not dangerous or frightened of people; domesticated: the fish are so tame you have to push them away from your face mask. ∎  not exciting, adventurous, or controversial: network TV on Saturday night is a pretty tame affair. ∎ inf. (of a person) willing to cooperate.2. (of a plant) produced by cultivation. ∎  (of land) cultivated.• v. [tr.] (often be tamed) domesticate (an animal): wild rabbits can be kept in captivity and eventually tamed. ∎  make less powerful and easier to control: the battle to tame inflation. ∎  cultivate (land or wilderness).DERIVATIVES: tam·a·ble (also tame·a·ble) adj.tame·ly adv.tame·ness n.tam·er n.

tame adj. OE. tam = (M)LG. (M)Du. tam, OHG. zam (G. zahm), ON. tamr :- Gmc. *tamaz, f. IE. *dom-, repr. also by L. domāre, Gr. damân tame, subdue.
Hence tame vb. XIV; superseding ME. teme, OE. temian.