affectionate term
- noun
:
término cariñoso
- He could not be sure if the brilliant, erratic Tamul emperor used that affectionate term deliberately, or if it had been a slip of the tongue.
- use an affectionate term
In your song Levitating, you use the affectionate term sugar Boo.
- In your song Levitating, you use the affectionate term sugar Boo.
Examples
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The affectionate term for Theodora is Theo.
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These seemed to be affectionate terms.
Fiction book (2000) -
It was not such an affectionate term after all.
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In your song Levitating, you use the affectionate term sugar Boo.
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Well, that is the affectionate term for Eleanor, isn't it?
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It's an affectionate term you use to somebody you know awful, awful, awful, awful well and you would say... ..."Hello, Auntie."
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In the family, we often use the affectionate term sweetheart when talking to each other.
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She called her dog buddy, an affectionate term that showed how much she loved him.
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In Spanish, mijo is an affectionate term for son, often used by parents.
Synonyms
772
1.0
A word people use to address someone they care about, like dear
6
8.1
A word used to show love or kindness to someone
5
3.7
A word or phrase used to show love and care for someone
3
3.8
An action that shows love to someone, for example a gentle touch
2
8.2
A friendly word you use to call someone you love, like 'darling'
A loving name for someone you care about
A small playful act that shows love, like a hug or kiss
Antonyms
How Affectionate
- Informal
5
3.7
- Informal
11
2.1
- Informal
49
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a word or expression used to show fondness' is directly and compositionally derivable from 'affectionate' (expressing warmth) + 'term' (a word). This simple adjective+noun combination follows common cross-linguistic patterns and would be readily understood by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.
Etymology
The phrase affectionate term comes from the simple idea that affectionate means loving and term means word, so it is like using a soft, gentle touch with language. That's why it means 'a word used to show fondness or love'.