darling English · revision 8009

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 888}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdɑɹlɪŋ/; /ˈdɑːlɪŋ/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English derling, [[inh|ang|dēorling|t=one much beloved, a favourite]], dyrling,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) formed from dēore, [[dear]], and the suffix [[-ling]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The change of e to a in the 16th century is usual before r and a consonant (compare [[marsh]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A person very dear to another: about 888, in Alfred's Boethius.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A favourite or minion is also from about 888, now obsolete,^(OED 1989) and the favourite of a family from about 1330.^(OED 1989) Of a people's favourite it is from about 1205.^(OED 1989) The spelling darlyng appears before 1450.^(Barnhart 1988) The adjective, very dear, is from 1509 (the 1590s in Etymonline),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and in affected use, sweetly charming, from 1805.^(Etymonline) A lovable creature or pet is from 1799.^(OED 1989) A proverb of 1562 says it is better to be an old man's darling than a young man's ''werlyng''.^(Etymonline) Darling was also the name of a variety of apple (1586).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 888 – a beloved person.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1330 – a family favourite.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1509 – the adjective.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1799 – a lovable creature.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1805 – sweetly charming.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A dearly loved person, often used as a term of address.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[favourite]]: ''the teacher's darling''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Dearly loved.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Charming or delightful: ''a darling hat''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[darlingly]]

+ * [[darlingness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dear]]

+ * [[-ling]]

+ * [[dearly]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}