fondness

[fond-nis]

noun

1. the state or quality of being fond.

2. tenderness or affection.

3. doting affection.

4. a liking or weakness for something.

   He has a fondness for sweets.

   Synonyms: preference, partiality, predilection

5. Archaic.,  complacent credulity; foolishness.

Other Word Forms

• self-fondness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fondness¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; fond ¹, -ness

Example Sentences

The 16th century’s fondness for treating Agnes/Anne and Hamnet/Hamlet as interchangeable versions of the same name is part of the plot and must be endured.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In truth, the tie-wearing fox only became a cop because of his fondness for Judy, not out of a sense of dutiful conviction.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The happy hands became Ms. McDermott’s solace and her souvenir, and later—when her son developed his own fondness for them, as mother and son cooked and baked together—a renewed source of happiness.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Indeed, he had always had a fondness for that style of hat.

Read more on Literature

But Tortoise has always had an equally prominent fondness for softer textures, especially those found in spacey acts from Germany such as Tangerine Dream and Cluster.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• affection 
• devotion 
• penchant 
• predilection 
• preference 
• soft spot 
• tenderness www.thesaurus.com