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A 'term of endearment' is a word or phrase used to address and/or describe a person or animal for which the speaker feels affection. Terms of endearment are used for a variety of reasons, ranging from parents addressing their children, to lovers whispering sweet nothings to each other.
Such words may not, in their original use, bear any resemblance in meaning to the meaning attached when used as a term of endearment, for example calling a spouse 'pumpkin'. Some words are clearly derived from each other, such as 'sweetheart' and 'sweetie', while others bear no etymological resemblance, such as 'baby' and 'cutie'. The first evidence of the current connotation for terms of endearment varies. Baby is first used in 1377, sweetie in 1576, and sugar only appears as recently as 1930.
Some are very restricted in their use, such as 'hubby', which is only used by a woman addressing her husband, while others can be applied in a variety of contexts, such as 'baby', as shown in the following paragraph.
Each term of endearment has its own connotations, which are highly dependent on the situation they are used in, such as tone of voice, body language, and social context. Saying "Hey baby, you're looking good" varies greatly from the use "Baby"!, don't swim at the deep end of the pool".
Some terms may be combined for added emphasis, e.g. 'Honey Bunny', and convey a sense of greater affection. Some terms are used only in combinations with others and can not stand alone, such as 'Cutie Pie' as 'Pie' itself is not considered a term of endearment nor would 'cakes' stand alone as to 'babycakes'. Some combinations seem nonsensical, odd, or too long, such as "Babycakes Bunny" or "Love sweetheart", and are seldom used.
Couples often make up their own terms of endearment, which is the number one sign of a wonderful, loving relationship.

Contents

Examples

See also

References

Examples

★ Baby

★ Babycakes

★ Boo

★ Bunny

★ Cuteson

★ Cutie

★ Darling

★ Girl

★ Honey/ Hun

★ Hot Stuff

★ Hubby

★ Love

★ Loverboy

★ Love of my life

★ Misses Keeshes

★ Mister Babers

★ Monsieur Sweetie

★ Sugar

★ Sugarton

★ Stud

★ Stud muffin

★ Sweetheart

★ Sweetie

★ Sweet Thing

★ Tee-hee Ticklesworth

★ Tuts

★ Weetie

★ Wifie

See also

★ Love

★ Affection

★ Diminutive

★ Hypocoristic

★ Nickname

References

http://www.etymonline.com/