affectionately

An affectionately worded message is one that's said or written with love and care.

You've probably received emails or texts from friends or family members where they use words like "my dear" or "love" to start their messages. That's an example of using a word affectionately. When people talk or write affectionately, it shows they're coming from the heart and want to be kind and gentle in what they say. You might hear someone say, "I love you, Mom!" when they call home - that's an affectionate way to speak. It can also sound like, "Don't worry about this, it's nothing," said with a warm smile, or "You're amazing for taking care of me." When people use affectionate language, it usually means they want the other person to feel good and know they're loved or appreciated.