fond
1 Americanadjective
-
having a liking or affection for (usually followed byof ).
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.
- Synonyms:
- gullible
adjective
-
predisposed (to); having a liking (for)
-
loving; tender
a fond embrace
-
indulgent; doting
a fond mother
-
(of hopes, wishes, etc) cherished but unlikely to be realized
he had fond hopes of starting his own business
-
archaic
-
foolish
-
credulous
-
noun
-
the background of a design, as in lace
-
obsolete fund; stock
Other Word Forms
- fondly adverb
- fondness noun
Etymology
Origin of fond1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fond, fonned “foolish, silly” (past participle of fonnen “to be foolish”
Origin of fond2
First recorded in 1655–65; from French; fund
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.
Those fonder of Hawthorne the magical realist will have plenty to appreciate as well, not least of which that Donatello’s true ancestry—whether human or faun—is never definitively established.
“It wasn’t at first, but it is now. I’ve grown fond of the library and the scientific instruments.”
From Literature
But I wasn’t too fond of the idea of eating sludge for the rest of my life.
From Literature
The term itself “is a beautiful word,” he is fond of saying, and he often cites the example of President William McKinley, who levied tariffs to generate revenue before the nation had an income tax.
From Salon
He is fond of reminding reporters that he prefers to keep his intentions to himself and a small circle of insiders to avoid potential adversaries knowing his next moves.
From BBC
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.
