Fondish

/ˈfɒndɪʃ/ adjective

Definition

Somewhat fond or affectionate; showing characteristics of being fond but not intensely so.

Etymology

From 'fond' plus the suffix '-ish' (meaning 'somewhat like'). The '-ish' suffix is extremely productive in English and appears in thousands of words from 'reddish' to 'babyish.'

Kelly Says

The '-ish' suffix is one of English's greatest gifts for imprecision—it lets you express shades of meaning without committing fully, which is why it's especially common in British English where understatement is practically an art form.

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