dear English · revision 3074

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=gem-pro *deurijaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /dɪə/, US /dɪr/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|dere]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|dēore|t=precious, valuable, costly; beloved]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*deurijaz]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) a word of unknown origin.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is cognate with Old Saxon diuri “precious, dear”, Dutch dier “beloved” and duur “expensive”, German teuer “expensive” and Old Norse dýrr.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) The spelling dear is from the 16th century.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Precious, valuable, costly: about 725.^(Barnhart 1988) The OED's first examples, “noble, glorious” and “held in affection”, are from before 1000.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Germanic word has long had both senses it has today, “beloved” and “expensive”.^(Cresswell 2021) “Noble, honourable” and “precious” are obsolete,^(Hoad 1986)^(OED 1989) and “high-priced” now sounds rather old-fashioned.^(Etymonline) It was used in addressing a person from about 1250,^(OED 1989) and to open letters from about 1450.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) The noun, a dear person, is from before 1375, perhaps shortened from ''dear one''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Interjections such as ''oh dear'' are from the 1690s, and ''O dear!'' is in Congreve (1694) and ''Dear me!'' in Goldsmith (1773).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) A ''Dear John'' letter is from 1945.^(Etymonline) [[darling|alt=Darling]] was a pet form of ''dear'', and [[dearth]] first meant a time when things were dear through scarcity.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – precious, costly.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1250 – in addressing a person.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1375 – noun, a dear one.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1450 – opening a letter.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1694 – ''O dear!''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1773 – ''Dear me!''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1945 – ''Dear John'' letter.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Loved and [[cherish|alt=cherished]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Greatly valued; [[precious]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Used in polite address, especially at the start of a letter: ''Dear Sir''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(chiefly British)'' Expensive.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A much-loved person; a kind or lovable person.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # At a high cost: ''paid dear''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # With affection; fondly.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Expressing surprise or distress: ''oh dear''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==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]].^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}