affectionate
/əˈfɛkʃ(ə)nət
/adjective
1Readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness: his affectionate nature...
- She may like to deny it but she is vulnerable and can be tender and affectionate.
- That movie was tender and affectionate without being pedantic.
- His father and mother were very affectionate and I was closely associated with his family.
Synonyms
loving, fond, adoring, devoted, caring, doting, tender, warm, warm-hearted, big-hearted, soft-centred, soft-hearted, soft, unselfish, kind, kind-hearted, kindly, comforting;
sympathetic, solicitous, supportive, attentive, friendly, demonstrative, cuddly, amicable, cordial, welcoming, good-natured;
brotherly, sisterly, motherly, fatherly, maternal, paternal, maternalistic, paternalistic
informal touchy-feely, lovey-dovey, chummy, pally
British informal matey
North American informal buddy-buddy
1.1Expressing fondness: an affectionate kiss...
- Suddenly someone pushed a cookie into my mouth, and then bombarded me with affectionate hugs and kisses.
- Duncan placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead which she didn't react to.
- His kisses were lingering and affectionate, making my heart pound for a moment.
Origin
Late 15th century (in the sense 'disposed, inclined towards'): from French affectionné 'beloved' or medieval Latin affectionatus 'devoted', from affectio(n-), from afficere 'to influence' (see affect2).
- participance
- participancy
- participant
- participant democracy
- participant observation
- participant observer
- participant observing
- participate
- participation
- participational
- participation mystique
- participative
- participatively
- participator
- participatory
- participatory democracy
- participial
- participial adjective
- participialize
- participialized
- participially
- participle
- particle
- particle accelerator
- particle beam