affectionate

adjective

af·​fec·​tion·​ate ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce affectionate (audio)
1
: feeling or showing affection or warm regard : loving
affectionate friends
an affectionate nickname
2
: motivated by affection : tender
affectionate care
3
obsolete : inclined, disposed
affectionately adverb

Examples of affectionate in a Sentence

an affectionate child who gives hugs and kisses freely
Recent Examples on the Web The two men became close, which drove the relationship between the two agencies, and the Ukrainians gave the new station chief an affectionate nickname: Santa Claus. Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024 Shania Twain Like her namesake, this dog is affectionate, kind, and talented. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024 The overly affectionate buddy cops became a staple of the ’70s and oftentimes the punchline to erotic jokes. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Jan. 2024 Since then, the pair have been extremely affectionate on social media, with Blanco joining Gomez as her plus one throughout awards season. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2024 It was immediately affectionate toward him, at one point climbing up to his shoulders before Stuckert gently put him in a pillowcase and in a yellow bucket and made his way down. Jessica Rodriguez, Journal Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2024 Meanwhile, romantic relationships are affectionate. Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2024 Her costars remind her that Cameron was affectionate at one point, as a flashback of him putting his arm around her is shown. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023 Some of Lewis’s affectionate letters to his wife are on view. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'affectionate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

partly borrowed from Medieval Latin affectiōnātus "inclined, disposed, well-disposed," from Latin affectiōn-, affectiō affection + -ātus -ate entry 3; partly formed from affection + -ate entry 3 after Middle French affectionné "having affection for," past participle of affectionner "to have affection for," derivative of affection

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of affectionate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near affectionate

Cite this Entry

“Affectionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affectionate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

affectionate

adjective
af·​fec·​tion·​ate ə-ˈfek-sh(ə-)nət How to pronounce affectionate (audio)
: feeling or showing a great liking for a person or thing : loving
affectionately adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on affectionate

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