fondness

noun

fond·​ness ˈfän(d)-nəs How to pronounce fondness (audio)
1
obsolete : foolishness, folly
2
: tender affection
3
: appetite, relish
had a fondness for argument

Examples of fondness in a Sentence

my fondness for you will never fail I have a fondness for expensive chocolate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Alliteration is another, and the English language has a fondness for it that goes back to its earliest literature. A.o. Scott, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 The illustration, which was styled to look like the cover of Time magazine, displayed the President’s fondness for crude symbols of power and wealth. Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025 To be sure, Francis’ record on LGBTQ issues is far from perfect, as a reported fondness for gay slurs makes clear. Omar G. Encarnación, Time, 22 Apr. 2025 In a Few Memories Christina Brockman's fondness for Easter may very well be genetic. Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fondness

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fondness was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Fondness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fondness. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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