fond

¹

[ fond ]

adjective

, fond·er, fond·est.

1. having a liking or affection for (usually followed by of ):

   to be fond of animals.

2. loving; affectionate:

   to give someone a fond look.

3. excessively tender or overindulgent; doting:

   a fond parent.

4. cherished with strong or unreasoning feeling:

   to nourish fond hopes of becoming president.

5. Archaic. foolish or silly.
6. Archaic. foolishly credulous or trusting.

   Synonyms: gullible

fond

²

[ fond; French fawn ]

noun

, plural fonds [fondz, faw, n].

1. a background or groundwork, especially of lace.
2. Obsolete. fund; stock.

fond

¹

/ fɔ̃; fɒnd /

noun

1. the background of a design, as in lace
2. obsolete.
   fund; stock

fond

²

/ fɒnd /

adjective

1. postpositivefoll byof predisposed (to); having a liking (for)
2. loving; tender

   a fond embrace

3. indulgent; doting

   a fond mother

4. (of hopes, wishes, etc) cherished but unlikely to be realized

   he had fond hopes of starting his own business

5. archaic.
   1. foolish
   2. credulous

Derived Forms

• ˈfondly, adverb
• ˈfondness, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fond¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fond, fonned “foolish, silly” (past participle of fonnen “to be foolish”

Origin of fond²

First recorded in 1655–65; from French; fund

Word History and Origins

Origin of fond¹

C17: from French, from Latin fundus bottom; see fund

Origin of fond²

C14 fonned , from fonnen to be foolish, from fonne a fool

Example Sentences

I quickly grew fond of stashing items in the open overhead compartments that are spread around the interior.

From Outside Online

Tasha Zemke, copy editorI bought this breakfast-sammie machine for my partner’s birthday over the summer, and we have become especially fond of it as the weather gets colder.

From Outside Online

Readers of a certain age will have fond childhood memories of weekday afternoons spent in the company of the Warner siblings, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, the central figures of the hugely popular, Emmy-award winning animated series, Animaniacs.

From Ars Technica

I’m particularly fond of the video of tiny legless larvae leaping into the air, accompanied by Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra.”

From Science News

As Warren Smith, CEO of the San Diego Loyal is fond of saying, “San Diego is the Soccer Capital of North America … it just doesn’t know it yet.”

From Voice of San Diego

He seemed particularly fond of Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes,” he is fond of telling the press, “the target draws the arrow.

From The Daily Beast

You also seem to be fond of the way the film treated gravity—as opposed to your reservations about the film Gravity.

From The Daily Beast

She met a Forbes at the club the other night who is fond of literature.

From The Daily Beast

A couple of things: I have lived in North Africa and I have very fond memories of that time and those people.

From The Daily Beast

“My sister is passionately fond of children,” said the elder lady, in smiling apology.

From Project Gutenberg

These Eskimos were very fond of kite-flying, for its own sake, without reference to utility!

From Project Gutenberg

This had been quite genuine, for the Professor had been fond of his relative, who had always been very good to him.

From Project Gutenberg

"I'm afraid I couldn't quite manage that, my dear boy," your fond parent would respond.

From Project Gutenberg

Bordering them were great quantities of berry-laden snow-berry bushes, of which I am very fond.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• affectionate
• enamored
• indulgent
• sentimental
• sympathetic