fondling

[ fond-ling, fon-dl-ing ]

noun

1. the act of caressing or touching lovingly or tenderly:

   A few of us knitting enthusiasts met yesterday at Yarn Barn for a couple of hours of browsing, yarn fondling, and coffee.

2. the act of molesting someone sexually by touching or caressing:

   The inappropriate groping and fondling from a trusted adult male figure—her mother’s boyfriend—traumatized her.

adjective

1. touching or caressing in either of these ways:

   She stroked him with gentle, fondling fingers.

Other Words From

• fond·ling·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of fondling¹

First recorded in 1580–90; fondl(e) ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; fondl(e) ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

It published a photo that showed a young girl, naked to the waist, pressed between two men who were fondling her breasts.

From BBC

Lori Beth Denberg, who starred in the hit children’s television show “All That” in the 1990s, has accused her former Nickelodeon boss, Dan Schneider, of having “preyed” on her then by showing her pornography, once fondling her and another time initiating phone sex.

From Seattle Times

Lori Beth Denberg, who starred in the hit children’s television show “All That” in the 1990s, has accused her former Nickelodeon boss, Dan Schneider, of having “preyed” on her then by showing her pornography, once fondling her and another time initiating phone sex.

From New York Times

Dr. John Carl Hoefs, 79, faces seven counts of sexual battery for allegedly fondling the women’s breasts during exams, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

From Los Angeles Times

The settlement, approved on a 14-0 vote, comes five years after the Los Angeles Police Department accused Officer David Rojas of fondling the body of 34-year-old Elizabeth Baggett after she was found dead at her home.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• extravagance
• kindness
• leniency
• permissiveness
• privilege