fond

UK: /ˈfɒnd/ US: /fɑnd/ ,(fond for 1; fond; Fr. fôn for 2)

Inflections of 'fond' (adj):

fonder

adj comparative

fondest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fond¹ /fɑnd/   adj., -er, -est. 

1. having a liking or affection for:
   [be + ~ + of] is fond of animals.
2. loving;
   affectionate:
   [before a noun] a fond look.
3. excessively tender or indulgent;
   doting:
   [before a noun] a fond parent.
4. hoped for foolishly or with strong feeling despite the unlikeliness of coming true:
   [before a noun] to nourish fond hopes.

fond•ly, adv.: 

fondly stroked the cat.

fond•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fond¹  (fond), adj., - er, -est. 

1. having a liking or affection for (usually fol. by of ):
   to be fond of animals.
2. loving;
   affectionate:
   to give someone a fond look.
3. excessively tender or overindulgent;
   doting:
   a fond parent.
4. cherished with strong or unreasoning feeling:
   to nourish fond hopes of becoming president.
5. [Archaic.] foolish or silly.
6. [Archaic.] foolishly credulous or trusting.

• Middle English fond, fonned (past participle of fonnen to be foolish, origin, originally, to lose flavor, sour) 1300–50

Synonyms

• 2. cherishing.
• 5. infatuated.
• 6. gullible.

fond²  (fond; Fr. fôn), n., pl. fonds (fondz;
Fr. fôn).

1. Foreign Terms a background or groundwork, esp. of lace.
2. Foreign Terms, Business [Obs.] fund;
   stock.

• French; see fund
• 1655–65

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fond / fɒnd/ adjective

1. (postpositive) followed by of: predisposed (to); having a liking (for)
2. loving; tender: a fond embrace
3. indulgent; doting: a fond mother
4. (of hopes, wishes, etc) cherished but unlikely to be realized: I had fond hopes of starting my own business
5. foolish
6. credulous

Etymology: 14th Century fonned, from fonnen to be foolish, from fonne a fool

ˈfondly adverb

ˈfondness noun