dear

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /dɪə/, US /dɪr/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English dere,^[2][3] inherited from Old English dēore (“precious, valuable, costly; beloved”),^[4][2][5] from Proto-Germanic *deurijaz,^[2][5][4] a word of unknown origin.^[2][4][5] It is cognate with Old Saxon diuri “precious, dear”, Dutch dier “beloved” and duur “expensive”, German teuer “expensive” and Old Norse dýrr.^[4][6][5] The spelling dear is from the 16th century.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Precious, valuable, costly: about 725.^[2] The OED's first examples, “noble, glorious” and “held in affection”, are from before 1000.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The Germanic word has long had both senses it has today, “beloved” and “expensive”.^[6] “Noble, honourable” and “precious” are obsolete,^[5][7] and “high-priced” now sounds rather old-fashioned.^[4] It was used in addressing a person from about 1250,^[7] and to open letters from about 1450.^[2][7] The noun, a dear person, is from before 1375, perhaps shortened from dear one.^[2][4] Interjections such as oh dear are from the 1690s, and O dear! is in Congreve (1694) and Dear me! in Goldsmith (1773).^[4][2] A Dear John letter is from 1945.^[4] Darling was a pet form of dear, and dearth first meant a time when things were dear through scarcity.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 725 – precious, costly.^[2]
• c. 1250 – in addressing a person.^[7]
• before 1375 – noun, a dear one.^[2]
• c. 1450 – opening a letter.^[2][7]
• 1694 – O dear!.^[2]
• 1773 – Dear me!.^[2]
• 1945 – Dear John letter.^[4]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Loved and cherished.
2. Greatly valued; precious.
3. Used in polite address, especially at the start of a letter: Dear Sir.
4. (chiefly British) Expensive.

Noun

1. A much-loved person; a kind or lovable person.

Adverb

1. At a high cost: paid dear.
2. With affection; fondly.

Interjection

1. Expressing surprise or distress: oh dear.

Word family

• dearly
• dearness
• dearth
• deary
• endear
• endearing
• endearment
• overdear

Related words

• darling

Usage notes

A separate, obsolete dear or dere meant “brave, bold; hard, severe”, from Old English dēor, probably related to deer.^[3][7]

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press