loving
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- lovingly adverb
- lovingness noun
- nonloving adjective
- unloving adjective
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.
Jade, a design manager, said David was "full of life, funny and loving" and that he was "buzzing" in the weeks leading up to the run.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
He is loving it and proudly accepting "my 15 minutes of fame".
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
For now, quantum investors are loving what the company has to say about the nascent industry’s potential.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026
Our show was about a sisterhood, loving one other, having each others’ back.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
“But at least you let us speak together. You give a passage for loving words to reach loving ears. We are not ungrateful.”
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
