In a loving, fond, or tender way that shows care and warmth toward someone.
From Latin 'affectio' (disposition, feeling) plus '-ate' plus '-ly' adverbial suffix. Meaning 'with tender feeling' developed in English by the 1600s.
When you do something 'affectionately,' brain scans show your prefrontal cortex (planning) and limbic system (emotion) lighting up together—meaning genuine affection engages both your thinking and feeling brains!
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