affectionate
Americanadjective
-
having or displaying tender feelings, affection, or warmth
an affectionate mother
an affectionate letter
Other Word Forms
- affectionately adverb
- affectionateness noun
- pseudoaffectionate adjective
- quasi-affectionate adjective
- unaffectionate adjective
Etymology
Origin of affectionate
First recorded in 1485–95; affection 1 + -ate 1, on the model of passionate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“My wife, Francesca Mari, was the one who said that I should dedicate myself to writing — if I wanted to pursue it,” Mahajan says in a thoughtful, affectionate tone.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
News channel YTN lavished praise on Kang's "heartfelt message to Korea", referring to the movie by its affectionate shorthand "Kedehun", a combination of the title's first three syllables.
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
“We’re known for being very romantic, affectionate people,” she explains.
From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026
‘The Pitt’ and ‘Industry’ make their eagerly anticipated returns, ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ proves a wonderfully weird zombie romp, Mel Brooks gets an affectionate documentary tribute, and much, much more.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026
They had a Labrador retriever named Dolly, who looked both affectionate and stupid.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.