beloved
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of beloved
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English biloved “loved,” past participle of biloven “to like, love”; equivalent to be- + love + -ed 2
Compare meaning
How does beloved compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Your beloved is someone you love. You can also talk about a beloved pet or possession. You probably have some things you really love: a bike, a skateboard, a book, a DVD, maybe a souvenir from a trip. Those are beloved possessions — you really like them a lot. People also talk about beloved family members, beloved pets, and beloved friends. This is a word for things and people you're crazy about. And if you're feeling really crazy on Valentine's Day, go ahead and tell your crush that she's your beloved.
Vocabulary lists containing beloved
Love Letter Words for Valentine's Day
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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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.
Beloved in Italy, it anticipates “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” though its sense of humor is broader and its budget evidently bigger, with bloodier battles and cinematography that approaches the picturesque.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026
Waite had been teaching Toni Morrison’s Beloved, which provoked discussions about slavery.
From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025
Beloved by young children, "Baby Shark Dance" has racked up more than 16 billion views on YouTube, roughly double the second-place clip "Despacito".
From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025
Beloved veteran British actress Celie Imrie starred in the Bridget Jones film series, as Una Alconbury, Bridget's mother's friend.
From BBC • Oct. 18, 2025
Jam thought about Malachite, Beloved, and Whisper, then hoped desperately that this fear hadn’t occurred to Redemption, not yet.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
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.
