adj

dear

deer

adj

Regarded with deep affection or love.

"She's a dear friend of mine."

"His memory remains dear to the whole family."

Costly; expensive.

"Petrol has become much dearer this year."

Used as a polite way to open a letter or address someone.

"Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to enquire about..."

intj

Used to express surprise, pity, or mild disapproval, often as "oh dear".

"Oh dear, I think we've missed the last train."

How to Use Dear

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLoved and valued, or (especially in British English) expensive — plus the standard polite way to open a letter.

UK vs US

The "expensive" sense of dear is much more common in British English than American English.

Common pairings

dear friend Dear Sir/Madam too dear

Word Forms

dearer comparative, more dear comparative, more dear comparative, more dear comparative, deared past tense, dears plural, Dears plural, dears singular, dearest superlative, most dear superlative, most dear superlative, most dear superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “dear” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She's a _____ friend of mine.

Etymology

From Old English diere, "of great value, precious, beloved", from a Germanic root shared with German teuer, "expensive".

Rhymes for dear

ear year hear tear bear wear near fear pear gear rear sear

See all rhymes for dear →