- present participle of love.
loving
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of loving
First recorded before 1000; Middle English lovyng; replacing Middle English lovende, Old English lufiende; see love, -ing 2
Explanation
Someone loving is affectionate and caring. Your loving grandmother might be your favorite grandparent because she clearly adores you. You can be a loving sister or a loving babysitter, and you can also describe kind things you do as loving, like the loving hug you give your sad friend or your uncle's loving gesture of sending your aunt flowers on her birthday. The adjective loving comes from the Old English lufian, "to love or approve," from the root lufu, "love, affection, or friendliness."
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.
“This great nation of ours is a caring, loving land,” Reagan once said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026
She and her brother grew up loving Pulido’s music.
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026
Ari “has grown into the most caring, loving friend to those around him,” Roberts wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Sir Patrick died on Wednesday "in the loving care of his wife", a statement from his family said.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
But I surprised myself by loving it, even though I’m not fast.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
