fond

¹ American  

[fond] / fɒnd /

adjective

fonder, fondest

1. having a liking or affection for (usually followed byof ).

   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

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fond ² American  

[fond, fawn] / fɒnd, fɔ̃ /

noun

plural

fonds

1. a background or groundwork, especially of lace.

2. Obsolete. fund; stock.

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fond ¹ British  

/ fɒnd /

adjective

1. 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

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fond ² British  

/ fɔ̃, fɒnd /

noun

1. the background of a design, as in lace

2. obsolete fund; stock

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Other Word Forms

• fondly
  adverb
• fondness
  noun

Etymology

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; see origin at fund

Explanation

To be fond of something is to like it. Sports fans are fond of sports. Oddly, this adjective can also mean foolish and silly. We're all fond of some things and people: the things and people we like. Being fond can mean anything from liking something a little ("I'm fond of that band") to be extremely, almost absurdly interested in something ("He's a little too fond of football"). This word sometimes implies foolishness and absurdity: almost like you love something so much that you've lost your mind. But usually being fond is a good thing: it just means you enjoy something.

Example Sentences

Now, he dons a sturgeon costume and gets speared by children during the Sturgeon Spectacular in nearby Fond du Lac.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2025

"Fond du Lac employed tribal cultural experts who walked the full route identifying and recording significant cultural resources to be avoided," Sutherland said.

From Salon • Aug. 20, 2024

Fond of quoting former President Ronald Reagan, Johnson has repeatedly cited “peace through strength” as one of his guiding principles.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2024

The Fond Smiles stayed on Sophie Mol like a spotlight, thinking, perhaps, that the sweetcousins were playing hide-and-seek, like sweetcousins often do.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• affectionate
• enamored
• indulgent
• sentimental
• sympathetic