From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishaffectionateaf‧fec‧tion‧ate /əˈfekʃənət/ ●○○ adjective LOVEshowing in a gentle way that you love someone and care about them SYN lovingaffectionate towards Jo is very affectionate towards her. an affectionate hug —affectionately adverb
Examples from the Corpus
affectionate• From being a little bitter it had become increasingly affectionate, as Matey had shrewdly noted.• This friendly, affectionate behaviour is often extended to humans.• How can our marriage, affectionate but exhausted, survive the strain of such proximity?• a very affectionate child• She's a very affectionate child.• He gave me an affectionate hug and then left.• Tension can be reduced and warmth increased with soft, warm hellos, friendly smiles, and long, affectionate hugs.• She held her breath as their lips met, but this one was gentle and affectionate, like a brother and sister.• Though such feelings are usually also involved in our intimate, affectionate relationships, they are not absolutely necessary to them.• While Nelson expressed affectionate thoughts about his parents, he was also clearly in conflict with them. 