WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
fond•ness
(fond′nis),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- the state or quality of being fond.
- tenderness or affection.
- doting affection.
- a liking or weakness for something:He has a fondness for sweets.
- [Archaic.]complacent credulity;
foolishness.
- 1350–1400; Middle English; see fond1, -ness
- 4. . predilection, partiality, preference.
fond1 /fɑnd/USA pronunciation
adj., -er, -est.
fond•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- having a liking or affection for:[be + ~ + of]is fond of animals.
- loving;
affectionate:[before a noun]a fond look. - excessively tender or indulgent;
doting:[before a noun]a fond parent. - hoped for foolishly or with strong feeling despite the unlikeliness of coming true:[before a noun]to nourish fond hopes.
fond•ness, n. [uncountable]
fond1
(fond),USA pronunciation adj., - er, -est.
fond2 (fond; Fr. fôn),USA pronunciation n., pl. fonds (fondz;
Fr. fôn).
- having a liking or affection for (usually fol. by of ):to be fond of animals.
- loving;
affectionate:to give someone a fond look. - excessively tender or overindulgent;
doting:a fond parent. - cherished with strong or unreasoning feeling:to nourish fond hopes of becoming president.
- [Archaic.]foolish or silly.
- [Archaic.]foolishly credulous or trusting.
- Middle English fond, fonned (past participle of fonnen to be foolish, origin, originally, to lose flavor, sour) 1300–50
- 2. cherishing. 5. infatuated. 6. gullible.
fond2 (fond; Fr. fôn),USA pronunciation n., pl. fonds (fondz;
Fr. fôn).
- Foreign Termsa background or groundwork, esp. of lace.
- Foreign Terms, Business[Obs.]fund;
stock.
- French; see fund
- 1655–65
'fondness' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
affection
- bibliomania
- crocodile
- fawn
- feeling
- liking
- love
- partiality
- -phile
- philogyny
- -philous
- soft spot
- tweedy
- weakness
- affectation
- affinity
- appetite
- busy
- care
- cosher
- dotage
- dote
- experimentalism
- fondle
- much
- overindulge
- passion
- pet
- ratel
- ritualism
- taste
- tooth
- virtuosity
- zoophilia
- self-fondness