adorable
Americanadjective
-
very attractive; charming; lovable
-
rare deserving or eliciting adoration
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of adorable
From the Latin word adōrābilis, dating back to 1605–15. See adore, -able
Explanation
Tie a pink ribbon around your puppy's neck and push him around in a stroller, and you'll either get worried stares or compliments on how adorable he looks. Adorable means lovable, sweet, and childlike. The adjective adorable is mostly used to mean "cute," when someone is describing something sweet or charming, like a baby or a pretty dress. The origins of the word adorable are actually religious; it was first used only to mean "worthy of adoration." The Latin word adorare, "to ask in prayer," is the root of adore, which in the 14th century meant "to worship." It wasn't until the 1880s that adorable began to mean "delightful" rather than "worthy of worshiping."
Vocabulary lists containing adorable
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -able, -ible
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 2
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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.
The adorable little creature is the silent, toddler-like, Force-empowered Grogu, who is the same species as Yoda and was nicknamed “Baby Yoda” by fans.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
In March 2025, it moved the first wild caribou to its new breeding center—and by June, some adorable calves had been born.
From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026
Billy was a "charming, adorable man", Marie-Thérèse's son said, adding that the couple were in love "like teenagers".
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
I know, I know, they’re adorable, with their wide “eyes” and squat toddler-like determination as they trundle along, pausing in careful recalculation whenever they encounter a curb, street sign, a sidewalk cafe table.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
With two clicks I stretch her neck and turn her into an adorable giraffe, complete with head knobs.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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.
