darling

¹

[dahr-ling]

noun

1. a person very dear to another; one dearly loved.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter),  an affectionate or familiar term of address.

3. a person or thing in great favor; a favorite.

   She was the darling of caf é society.

adjective

1. very dear; dearly loved.

   my darling child.

2. favorite; cherished.

3. Informal.,  charming; cute; lovable.

   What a darling baby!

Darling

²

[dahr-ling]

noun

1. Jay Norwood Ding, 1876–1962, U.S. political cartoonist.

darling

¹

/ ˈdɑːlɪŋ /

noun

1. a person very much loved: often used as a term of address

2. a favourite

   the teacher's darling

adjective

1. beloved

2. much admired; pleasing

   a darling hat

Darling

²

/ ˈdɑːlɪŋ /

noun

1. Grace. 1815–42, English national heroine, famous for her rescue (1838) of some shipwrecked sailors with her father, a lighthouse keeper

Other Word Forms

• darlingly adverb
• darlingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of darling¹

before 900; Middle English derling, Old English dēorling. See dear ¹, -ling ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of darling¹

Old English dēorling; see _dear , _-ling ¹

Example Sentences

Shares of the AI darling leapt higher in overnight trading on Wednesday, carrying shares of other AI stocks with them.

Read more on MarketWatch

Shares of the AI darling leapt higher in overnight trading on Wednesday, carrying shares of other AI stocks with them.

Read more on MarketWatch

The company has become a Chinese tech darling and is preparing for an initial public offering with a reported valuation as high as $7 billion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Grocers must eat too, my darling,” her husband interjected.

Read more on Literature

“Fawsy darling, be sweet. Didn’t you hear the governess? These are my son’s wards.”

Read more on Literature