term of endearment

English

Noun

term of endearment (plural terms of endearment)

1. A word, phrase, or nickname used as a term of address expressing affection.
   • 1846, Charles Dickens, chapter 1, in Dombey and Son:

     The words had such a softening influence, that he appended a term of endearment to Mrs. Dombey's name (though not without some hesitation, as being a man but little used to that form of address): and said, ‘Mrs. Dombey, my—my dear.’

   • 1987 September 20, Nicholas D. Kristof, “Kidnap-Murder of 5-Year-Old Shakes Japan”, in New York Times, retrieved 25 June 2013:

     "Kun" is a term of endearment often used in Japan for small boys. Yoshi-kun lived with his parents and grandparents in a house in Takasaki.

   • 2002 June 16, Simon Robinson, “Tropical Trouble”, in Time:

     The people of Madagascar call him Deba, which means Big Boss. When President Didier Ratsiraka came to power 26 years ago, the moniker was meant as a term of endearment.

Synonyms

• endearment
• diminutive

Translations

word, phrase, or nickname expressing affection

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 愛稱／爱称 (zh) (àichēng), 暱稱／昵称 (zh) (nìchēng)

• Czech: něžné oslovení n
• Esperanto: karesvorto
• Finnish: hellittelysana, hellittelynimi
• French: terme affectueux m
• Galician: palabra de afecto
• Georgian: მოფერებითი სიტყვა (moperebiti siṭq̇va)
• German: Kosewort (de) n
• Greek: χαϊδευτικό (el) n (chaïdeftikó), υποκοριστικό (el) n (ypokoristikó)

  Ancient: ὑποκόρισμα n (hupokórisma)

• Hebrew: שם חיבה (he) m (shem ḥibá)
• Hungarian: becenév (hu), becézés (hu) (in general), becéző szavak pl (in general)
• Icelandic: blíðuhót n pl, blíðuorð n, ástarorð n, ástarheiti n
• Italian: vezzeggiativo m
• Japanese: 愛称 (ja) (aishou)
• Norwegian: kjæleord n
• Polish: afektonim (pl) m
• Portuguese: termo afetivo
• Russian: ласка́тельное и́мя n (laskátelʹnoje ímja), ласка́тельное сло́во n (laskátelʹnoje slóvo)
• Spanish: palabra de afecto f, palabra tierna f, palabra afectuosa f, palabra cariñosa f
• Swedish: smeknamn (sv) n, smeksam benämning

See also

• Category:English endearing terms
• Category:English childish terms