Affection

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈfɛk.ʃən/

Definitions

1. A feeling of fondness, warmth, or tender attachment toward someone or something
2. A deep emotional connection characterized by tenderness, fondness, and care toward a person or object
3. An emotional state marked by warmth, attachment, and a sense of fondness towards others or even an inanimate entity

Etymology: Affection began as a physical idea before it became a feeling. Its Latin ancestor "affectio" meant a state or disposition of the body or mind, something that had been done to a person, and the same family of words gave English "affect" in the sense of acting upon someone. The noun passed into Middle English and then through Old French, arriving with the sense of a mental disposition rather than a warm bond. The shift toward tender regard came gradually. The older meanings of the word lingered, so that a person could be said to have a certain affection for a cause or an opinion without any fondness for anyone. Only over time did it settle into the warm personal attachment we use today, the sense of being fond of someone.

Synonyms: fondness, love, attachment, devotion, tenderness

Antonyms: dislike, hatred, indifference, detachment, aversion