Definition of "hypocorism" []

• A name of endearment; a pet name. (noun)
• The use of such names. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "It is what Sidney Baker (The Australian Language) calls a hypocorism, a form ending in - ie, - y, or - ey, or"
• "Now you would think President Obama's stimulus bill would have a earmark to rebuild these levees around the country but it does not but the outrage the liberals threw at Bush for doing nothing smells of hypocorism."