affectionate
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of affectionate
First recorded in 1485–95; affection 1 + -ate 1, on the model of passionate
Explanation
Being affectionate is being warm, tender, and loving. A hug is an affectionate gesture. Affectionate words and actions show love, liking, or compassion. Kissing on the cheek, holding hands, and hugging are all affectionate. Parents and children, teachers and students, brothers and sisters — they can all be affectionate to each other. It's hard to fake being affectionate, so we tend to be affectionate to people we genuinely like.
Vocabulary lists containing affectionate
Positive Adjectives to Describe People
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 1
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Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What the numerous emails and texts between the two men suggest is an intimate and affectionate relationship that went beyond a business or financial connection.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
There is good reason this gentle, affectionate meeting between genetic cousins has become a TV landmark.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Mr. Paul and his collaborators are clearly besotted lovers as well as knowledgeable students of the musicals they are spoofing, so the evening’s spirit is exuberantly affectionate.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
“My wife, Francesca Mari, was the one who said that I should dedicate myself to writing — if I wanted to pursue it,” Mahajan says in a thoughtful, affectionate tone.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
It was hard to say which of the two of them was more affectionate.
From "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
