affectionately
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
- pseudoaffectionately adverb
- quasi-affectionately adverb
- unaffectionately adverb
Etymology
Origin of affectionately
Explanation
When you do something affectionately, you do it in a way that shows fondness and warm feelings toward someone. Patting your dog's head affectionately may earn you a tail wag. The adverb affectionately comes from the noun affection, which means "a gentle feeling of fondness or liking." Punching someone's shoulder affectionately will likely elicit a smile as opposed to a sneer, as it wasn't intended to hurt but rather to show friendship. The word affectionately evokes acts of kindness and warmth, like a loving smile, a gentle touch, or encouraging words — expressing genuine care for someone special in your life.
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.
The juvenile whale, affectionately dubbed "Willapa Willy" by locals, was first spotted last Wednesday in the north fork of the river, about 145 miles southwest of Seattle, the marine mammal research group said.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
The closing of the Pali Post, as community members affectionately called it, was a direct result of the destruction wrought by the January 2025 firestorm.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026
Some fans of Heated Rivalry have even affectionately dubbed the show, which is partly funded by public money "Canadian government-funded yaoi".
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
She paid tribute to Sakamoto who is affectionately called "big sister" by her teammates.
From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026
I catch my parents looking at each other affectionately.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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.
