Standard Lemma guide

fondly

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈfɑndli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfɒndli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F AA1 N D L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a fond manner; affectionately; tenderly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He looked fondly at the pictures of his high-school friends.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Foolishly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

with fondness; with love

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she spoke to her children fondly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lovingly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English fondly, fondely, fonnedli, equivalent to fond + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: ame — in a fond manner, affectionately