Word
fondness
Phoneticsfond·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɑndnəs/
UK/fˈɒndnəs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a feeling of liking or caring for someone or something. You often use this to describe a warm, long-lasting connection.
n. an affectionate liking or partiality for someone or something. Often implies a gentle, enduring emotional attachment rather than intense passion.
Examples
“She has a great fondness for old movies.”
“Over the years, his initial respect for his mentor grew into a deep personal fondness.”
“Despite the harsh winters of her childhood, she looked back on those years with a surprising degree of fondness and nostalgia.”
Examples
simple
“She has a great fondness for old movies.”
contextual
“Over the years, his initial respect for his mentor grew into a deep personal fondness.”
complex
“Despite the harsh winters of her childhood, she looked back on those years with a surprising degree of fondness and nostalgia.”
Usage
Commonly takes the preposition 'for' when identifying the object of affection.
Real-World Examples
“Les rosbifs “Roast beefs”; this French take is based on our fondness for a traditional Sunday roast.” “And there is nothing like the threat of change to arouse fondness.” “One of my favourite Cupertinos was my first computer's habit of changing the name "Freud" into "fraud" - or, more recently, of one phone's fondness for converting "soonish" into "Zionism".” Etymology
From Middle English fondnes, fondnesse, fonnednesse, equivalent to fond + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/fondness