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darling

[ dahr-ling ]
/ ˈdɑr lɪŋ /
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noun
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 café society.
adjective
very dear; dearly loved: my darling child.
favorite; cherished.
Informal. charming; cute; lovable: What a darling baby!
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Origin of darling

before 900; Middle English derling,Old English dēorling.See dear1, -ling1

OTHER WORDS FROM darling

dar·ling·ly, adverbdar·ling·ness, noun

Other definitions for darling (2 of 2)

Darling
[ dahr-ling ]
/ ˈdɑr lɪŋ /

noun
Jay Nor·wood [nawr-wood], /ˈnɔr wʊd/, "Ding", 1876–1962, U.S. political cartoonist.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use darling in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for darling (1 of 2)

darling
/ (ˈdɑːlɪŋ) /

noun
a person very much loved: often used as a term of address
a favouritethe teacher's darling
adjective (prenominal)
beloved
much admired; pleasinga darling hat

Word Origin for darling

Old English dēorling; see dear, -ling 1

British Dictionary definitions for darling (2 of 2)

Darling
/ (ˈdɑːlɪŋ) /

noun
Grace. 1815–42, English national heroine, famous for her rescue (1838) of some shipwrecked sailors with her father, a lighthouse keeper
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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