Terms of Endearment
Words represent feelings and ideas of what and how we think. Names (and labels) are the words we have for specific individuals. People are often known by, associated with, and/or called by many different words (besides their “given”/”legal” name). Besides other possible personal “diminutives”, (family) nicknames, “call signs”, “handles”, online or undercover “identities”, and private “pet” names, people often call those they care about by general terms of endearment.
How affection is expressed (in words) varies in different languages and cultures.
In English, many terms of affection and endearment are “edible” in nature (in the sense that they not only sound good coming out of one’s mouth but also what they refer to would taste good going in as well). Here are a few of the terms I could think of. Please let me know if you have more!
Angel, Angel Face
Babe, Baby, Baby Cakes, Baby Doll, Baby Girl
Beautiful
Beloved (Bride)
Big Boy, Big Daddy
Boo, Boo Boo
Booger
Buttercup
Candy, Candy Man, Candy Pants
Champ
Charming
Cheese
Cherry
Chick, Chickadee
Cookie
Cupcake
Cuteness, Cutie, Cutie Patootie, Cutie Pie
Darling
Dear, Dearest
Delicious?
Doll, Doll Face
Dove
Dream Boat, Dream Girl
Dumpling
Girlfriend
Good Lookin’
Gorgeous
Habibi
(Handsome) (Husband)
Hon, Honey, Honey Bun, Honey Bunny, Honey Bunch, Honey Pie
Hot Lips, Hot Stuff
Huggie Bear
Kitten
Lady Love
Lambchop
[Life Partner]
Love, Luv Luv, Love of My Life
Lover Boy, Lover Girl
Mama
Muffin
[My Beloved Bride]
[My Heart's Desire]
[My Love]
[My Queen]
[My True Love]
Peach
Pinup
Pookie
Precious
Prince, Princess
Pudding
Pumpkin
Pussy, Pussycat
Sexy, Sexy Beast, Sexy Mama, Sexy Thang
Shawty, Shorty
Sleepy Head
Smiley
Smoochy-kins
Snoogums
Snuggles
[Soul Mate]
Sparkles, Sparky
Stud, Stud Muffin
Sugar, Sugar Booger, Sugar Bun, Sugar Pie, Sugar Plum, Sugar Puss
Sunny, Sunshine
Sweets, Sweetest, Sweetness
Sweetie, Sweetie Pie
Sweet Cheeks, Sweet Heart, Sweet Lips, Sweet Pants, Sweet Potato, Sweet Pea, Sweet Stuff
Tiger
Trouble
Treasure
True Love
Wife
[Man/Woman of My Dreams]
Wonderful
In Spanish, the most common terms for a loved one probably are:
Mi Amor (my love)
Mi Vida (my life)
Mi Corazon (my heart)
Mi Cielo (my sky)
Querida (dear)
Muñeca (baby doll)
Cari/Cariño (love/affection)
Dulce (sweet)
Mami (mommy)
Papi (daddy)
The “diminutive” ita/ito is also often added at the end of a word – to express affection
The French say things like:
Ma Belle (my beautiful one)
Mon Cheri (my dear)
Mon Poulet (my chicken)
Ma Petite Crotte (my little turd)
Biblical words for “sex”:
1. “go into”
2. “lie with”
3. “know”
Biblical attitudes about sex:
Sex is a good thing
Abstinence before marriage
Consummate the relationship
Lust is taking
Love is giving
“impure” (sex) includes:
fornication
incest
adultery
Pornia is a Greek word referring to immorality (of “Greek” sex?)
Pornography refers to immoral images
