hypocorism
2 synonyms for hypocorism, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An affectionate name for someone, often in diminutive form; a pet name.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin hypocorisma, itself a loan from Ancient Greek ὑποκόρισμα (hupokórisma), ὑποκορισμός (hupokorismós, "pet name"), which came from ὑποκορίζεσθαι (hupokorízesthai), ὑποκορίζομαι (hupokorízomai, "to use a pet name; to act in a childish manner"), from ῠ̔πο- (hŭpo-, a prefix indicating a small degree)...
Full origin of hypocorism →