affection
n. C / Un. a gentle feeling of liking or caring for someone or something. You show this through kind words, hugs, or spending time together.
n. a gentle feeling of fondness or liking. Often used in the plural form to describe outward signs of this emotion.
She has a great deal of affection for her old cat.
The children showed their affection for the teacher by making her a large handmade card on her final day.
While their professional relationship was strictly formal, a deep personal affection had developed between the two colleagues over decades of shared research and mutual support.
From Middle English affection, affeccion, affeccioun, from Old French affection, from Latin affectiōnem, from affectiō; equivalent to affect + -ion.
Often used with the preposition 'for'. When used in the plural ('affections'), it typically refers to a person's romantic feelings or loyalties.