dear
dearly loved
How often you will meet it
Rank 216 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 107,446 times across 173,499 chapters — 0.051% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- dearly loved also: beloved, darling
- with or in a close or intimate relationship also: good, near a good friendmy sisters and brothers are near and dear
- sincerely earnest also: devout, earnest, heartfelt one's dearest wishdevout wishes for their success
- having a high price also: costly, high-priced, pricey, pricy costly jewelryhigh-priced merchandise
noun
- a beloved person; used as terms of endearment also: beloved, dearest, honey, love
- a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child) also: lamb
adverb
- with affection also: dearly, affectionately she loved him dearlyhe treats her affectionately
- at a great cost also: dearly he paid dearly for the foodthis cost him dear
dear in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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He is a dear friend of mine.
A Knight of the White Cross · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1
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I'll fly, dear mother, like an arrow home.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
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Yea, present all, and dear to me, Though shades, or scouring China’s sea.
John Marr and Other Poems · Herman Melville · Chapter 1
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But alas! my dear friend the captain soon departed this life after his arrival.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1
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Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1