darling

The word “darling” means a term of affection for someone very dear to the speaker. In plain terms, a warm, affectionate word — either a pet name for someone you love, or a description of someone/something that a group has taken a shine to.

“Darling” is pronounced DAH-lihng (/ˈdɑɹlɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “darling” used in a sentence: “"Good morning, darling," she said, kissing him on the cheek.”

Depending on how it is used, “darling” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “darling” comes from Old English. From Old English deorling, built from deore ("dear") plus a diminutive suffix — literally something like "little dear one.".

“Darling” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Darling” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a term of affection for someone very dear to the speaker.

It depends on the relationship and the region. Between partners, family, or close friends, darling is a warm term of affection, and in parts of Britain it is a casual, friendly form of address even for strangers. From a stranger or in a professional setting, however, it can come across as overly familiar or patronizing.

Both are terms of affection for someone dear to the speaker, but darling is generally the stronger and more intimate of the two. Dear also has wider uses, such as opening letters ("Dear Sir") and, in British English, meaning expensive. As a direct form of address, darling tends to sound more affectionate or theatrical than dear.

Darling is informal and intimate. It belongs in personal speech and writing between people who are close, not in formal or professional contexts. In business settings, pet names such as darling are generally considered inappropriate.