endearment

American  

[en-deer-muhnt] / ɛnˈdɪər mənt /

noun

1. the act of endearing. endearing.

2. the state of being endeared.

3. something that endears; an action or utterance showing affection.

   to murmur endearments.

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endearment British  

/ ɪnˈdɪəmənt /

noun

1. something that endears, such as an affectionate utterance

2. the act or process of endearing or the condition of being endeared

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Etymology

Origin of endearment

First recorded in 1605–15; endear + -ment

Explanation

Next time you cringe when a family member calls you by your childhood nickname in public, remember, Snoopy, it's just a term of endearment — meant to show affection, not make you miserably embarrassed. When you break apart the word endearment, you probably recognize the word endear, a verb that means "to make admired or beloved." The suffix -ment can turn a verb into a noun, so endearment is something that shows affection or admiration, like calling someone "my love" instead of his or her name or playfully whacking your brother on the head when you walk by where he sits, doing his homework.

Example Sentences

It could be a term of endearment from friends, because I grew up being friends with a lot of skater kids that would call each other “the worst.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

“What may be a term of endearment in one context can be perceived differently in another.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2025

He spoke about his grandmother, who he called "Mawmaw" – which he noted was a term of endearment in the Appalachian community he hails from.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2024

It could be a term of endearment, people saying that they love you for your Blackness, or it could be an insult and an attack.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2024

She thinks it’s funny, what she calls a term of endearment.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan