beloved
Americanadjective
noun
-
beloveds
plural
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of beloved
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English biloved “loved,” past participle of biloven “to like, love”; equivalent to be- + love + -ed 2
Compare meaning
How does beloved compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Your beloved is someone you love. You can also talk about a beloved pet or possession. You probably have some things you really love: a bike, a skateboard, a book, a DVD, maybe a souvenir from a trip. Those are beloved possessions — you really like them a lot. People also talk about beloved family members, beloved pets, and beloved friends. This is a word for things and people you're crazy about. And if you're feeling really crazy on Valentine's Day, go ahead and tell your crush that she's your beloved.
Vocabulary lists containing beloved
Love Letter Words for Valentine's Day
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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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.
See Examples For:
Muniz is best known for his titular starring role in the beloved Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” which ran for seven seasons in the early aughts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
It begins in vulnerability—a future cold day, redeemed by tonight’s memory—and ends in a plea that the beloved change nothing, prizing acceptance over perfection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
"It will be a chance to celebrate every individual who has helped create and shape this beloved theatre as we look to our future."
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
All Gellar said was, “It has been a tough two years for our beloved cast and crew, and we feel very lucky to have known and worked with such amazing people.”
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
Somehow the furry scamp had avoided being torn to shreds by the children and had subsequently become Cassiopeia’s beloved pet, living on the tree branches outside the nursery windows.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
But mostly, I now truly dress for myself and my beloveds, who all want me to be comfortable and have a good time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2024
“The biggest gift by far of these two movies for me is just the friendships with these beloveds in my life,” Steenburgen said.
From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2023
Fittingly, Pru, who’d long felt ashamed for lacking a defining passion, will demonstrate consummate passion in her nonstop exertions to care for beloveds and, never least, to survive.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 20, 2021
“Go Tell It on the Mountain” is, in other words, among my beloveds.
From New York Times ● Dec. 4, 2020
"The hours she spent trying to fix her beloveds stretched into eternity after eternity, until..."
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
