'fondness' originates from Middle English, specifically from the adjective 'fond' plus the suffix '-ness' (which forms nouns indicating a state or quality).

'fond' in Middle English meant 'tender' or 'foolish'; it appeared in compounds like 'fondness' (often spelled 'fondnesse' or similar in Middle English) and gradually became the modern English 'fondness'.

Initially associated with 'tenderness' or sometimes 'foolishness', the sense shifted toward a more neutral or positive meaning of 'liking or affection' that we use today.