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affectionately

/əˈfɛkʃənəɾli/
/əˈfɛkʃɪnɪtli/
IPA guide

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.

Definitions of affectionately
  1. adverb
    in a warm, kind, and friendly way
    “he treats her affectionately
    synonyms: dear, dearly
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