darling
noun
a person very dear to another; one dearly loved.
darling
1 American
[dahr-ling]
/ ˈdɑr lɪŋ /
noun
darlings
plural
-
a person very dear to another; one dearly loved.
-
(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address.
-
a person or thing in great favor; a favorite.
She was the darling of caf é society.
adjective
-
very dear; dearly loved.
my darling child.
-
favorite; cherished.
-
Informal. charming; cute; lovable.
What a darling baby!
Darling
2
American
[dahr-ling]
/ ˈdɑr lɪŋ /
noun
darling
1
British
/ ˈdɑːlɪŋ /
noun
-
a person very much loved: often used as a term of address
-
a favourite
the teacher's darling
adjective
-
beloved
-
much admired; pleasing
a darling hat
Darling
2
British
/ ˈdɑːlɪŋ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of darling
before 900; Middle English derling, Old English dēorling. See dear 1, -ling 1
Explanation
Use the word darling for someone you love or care for deeply. Your sweet old grandmother probably calls you darling. You can describe someone as being your darling, or address them that way: "I missed you so much while I was working on that fishing boat, darling!" Another way to use the word is for a generally lovable person: "Everyone adores Timmy, he's such a darling." The Old English root is deorling, a diminutive of deor, "dear."
Vocabulary lists containing darling
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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.
A onetime “Cary Grantish darling of New York debutante balls,” Young pursued archaeology at Princeton and Columbia, joining the American School of Classical Studies in Athens in 1933.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
That’s what’s peculiar about Gyllenhaal’s recent spate: These characters feel almost outdated, as if he’d fantasized, years ago, about playing parts like these but never got the opportunity when he was Hollywood’s critical darling.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
He added: "Our darling boy Declan was a funny and outgoing young man who loved his fishing and his football. He had a very cheeky smile and the personality to match."
From BBC • May 25, 2026
Nvidia, the darling of the AI revolution, is worth 25 times.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
"Oh, you know as well as I do. Don't be obstinate, darling."
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
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.
