hypocoristic

/ˌhaɪpəkəˈrɪstɪk/
adjective
  1. Relating to or being a pet name, nickname, or affectionate form of a word.
    • The hypocoristic term 'mommy' is common among young children.
    • She used a hypocoristic version of his name, calling him 'Johnny' instead of John.
    • In many languages, adding a suffix like '-y' or '-ie' creates a hypocoristic form, such as 'doggy' from 'dog'.
Synonyms
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