Endearment

Affection

Affection or fondness is a "disposition or state of mind or body" commonly linked to a feeling or type of love. It has led to multiple branches in philosophy and psychology that discuss emotion, disease, influence, and state of being. Often, "affection" denotes more than mere goodwill or friendship. Writers on ethics generally use the word to refer to distinct states of feeling, both lasting and temporary. Some contrast it with passion as being free from the distinctively sensual element.

endearment

Noun

1. The act or process of endearing, of causing (something or someone) to be loved or to be the object of affection.
2. The state or characteristic of being endeared.