fond

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Having a liking or affection for someone or something.

   I am very fond of this old song.

2. 2
   adj

   Showing love and warmth; affectionate.

   They said a fond farewell at the station.

3. 3
   adj

   Hoped for but unlikely to come true.

   He had fond hopes of becoming a famous actor.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Fond derives from the medieval word fon, “a fool,” which is also associated with fun. It originally meant “foolish,” “silly,” or “mad,” and did not develop its modern affectionate sense until the late 16th century. Fondling later arose for a person who was cherished, and the verb fondle developed from it, first meaning “pamper” and later “caress.”

From Middle English fond, fonned, past participle of fonnen (“to be foolish, be simple, dote”), equivalent to fon + -ed. More at fon.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary