FOND'NESS, noun 1. Foolishness; weakness; want of sense or judgment. obsolete 2. Foolish tenderness. 3. Tender passion; warm affection. Her fondness for a certain earl began when I was but a girl. 4. Strong inclination or propensity; as a fondness for vice or sin. 5. Strong appetite or relish; as fondness for ardent spirit, or for a particular kind of food. [It is now used chiefly in the three latter senses.]
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI