darling
noun
a person very dear to another; one dearly loved.
darling
1 American
[dahr-ling]
/ ˈdɑr lɪŋ /
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 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
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.
The strong demand Cisco has seen for its hardware as hyperscalers keep spending big could be a positive sign for the AI chip darling.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
Although his claim to fame was contributing to numerous comedy projects across decades, it was the 1999 documentary “Beyond the Mat,” a behind-the-scenes chronicle of three famous pro wrestlers, that was Blaustein’s darling.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Many dishes now elevated to restaurant darling status — barbacoa, ratatouille, pasta e fagioli — were born from exactly those constraints.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
The storm clouds are gathering over onetime digital-media darling BuzzFeed.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
"Not just any dating service, darling boy, but the first and very best. Established in 2635 BCE."
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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.
