loving
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- lovingly adverb
- lovingness noun
- nonloving adjective
- unloving adjective
Etymology
Origin of loving
First recorded before 1000; Middle English lovyng; replacing Middle English lovende, Old English lufiende; love, -ing 2
Explanation
Someone loving is affectionate and caring. Your loving grandmother might be your favorite grandparent because she clearly adores you. You can be a loving sister or a loving babysitter, and you can also describe kind things you do as loving, like the loving hug you give your sad friend or your uncle's loving gesture of sending your aunt flowers on her birthday. The adjective loving comes from the Old English lufian, "to love or approve," from the root lufu, "love, affection, or friendliness."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Our show was about a sisterhood, loving one other, having each others’ back.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
Sullivan described his son as a "beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy".
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Especially for the loving family of this young woman, for whom, even many years from now, a touch of heartache will hang over their holidays and family get-togethers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
"If we're winning that series, it's probably not news and no one cares. If Travis Head's in that video, everyone's probably absolutely loving it," Duckett said.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Maybe that’s why Mom stopped loving me, stopped trying for me, because I didn’t love her enough.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
