Definition of DEAR

dear

Plural: dears

Noun

  • A beloved person; darling.
  • a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
  • a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
  • A very kind, loving person.
  • A beloved person.
  • An affectionate, familiar term of address, such as used between husband and wife.
  • An elderly person, especially a woman.

Adjective Satellite

  • dearly loved
  • with or in a close or intimate relationship
    • "my sisters and brothers are near and dear"
  • earnest
    • "one's dearest wish"
  • having a high price
    • "much too dear for my pocketbook"

Adverb

  • with affection
    • "she loved him dearly"
  • at a great cost
    • "he paid dearly for the food"
    • "this cost him dear"

Adj

  • High in price; expensive.
  • Loved; lovable.
  • Lovely; kind.
  • Loving, affectionate, heartfelt
  • Precious to or greatly valued by someone.
  • A formal way to start (possibly after my) addressing somebody at the beginning of a letter, memo etc.
  • A formal way to start (often after my) addressing somebody one likes or regards kindly.
  • An ironic way to start (often after my) addressing an inferior or someone one dislikes.
  • Noble.
  • Severe, or severely affected; sore.
  • Fierce.

Verb

  • To endear.

Adv

  • Dearly; at a high price.

Intj

  • Indicating surprise, pity, or disapproval.

Adjective

  • Regarded with deep affection; cherished; expensive.

Examples

  • Dear Sir/Madam/Miss, please notice our offices will be closed during the following bank holidays:[…].
  • Dear, dear! Whatever were they thinking?
  • My dear friend, I feel better as soon as you come sit beside my sickbed!
  • My dear man, you ought to think twice about who you're trying to blackmail.
  • My little cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures.
  • Oh DEAR, I accidentally swapped out my ’Q’ for another ’Q’.
  • Pass me the salt, would you dear?
  • Such dear embrace tenderly comforts even in this dear sorrow.
  • That triple word score was a DEAR price to pay for such a short word.
  • The Christens found the heathens dear, as the lion doth the bear.
  • The dearer the giver, the dearer the trinket he brings!
  • The dearer the jewel, the greater the love expressed.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, precious, expensive”). Cognate with Scots dere, deir (“of great value or worth, highly valued, precious, beloved”), Saterland Frisian djuur (“precious, dear, costly, expensive”), Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), German Low German düür, Danish dyr (“expensive”), Swedish dyr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr (“expensive”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Yiddish טייַער (tayer, “precious, expensive”).

Scrabble Score: 5

dear: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
dear: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
dear: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 5

dear: valid Words With Friends Word