deary

5 8.4

A person you love or care about, often called this name to show love

noun
/ˈdɪəri/

: querido

Only the best treats are good enough for my dearies.

And then she Moss says set me free dearie.

Examples

Come and get it, dearies.

The Hot Rock (1972)
Bless your kind heart, you lovely sweet deary.

Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961)
Come here, dearies, with us.

Fiction book (1990)
This is Mr. Dtto, deary.

Repo Man (1984)
It's only old gypsy Matilda, deary.

Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961)
- Oh, that's my Bethy, deary.

Little Women (1933)
Deary, I.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1989)
Deary, I.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1989)
Hello, dearies!

The Thompsons (2012)
Come here, my deary, I have a surprise for you.

Synonyms

baby

vsdeary

Informal

∞ 1.0

A word used to show love for a romantic partner

is broader and less explicitly romantic than this partner-focused address

honey

vsdeary

Informal

∞ 1.0

A word you use to show love or affection to someone

is a more general affectionate address without the same warmth

darling

vsdeary

Informal

∞ 1.0

A person you love very much

is more neutral and less explicitly affectionate in tone

sweetheart

vsdeary

Informal

∞ 1.0

A person you love in a romantic way

is more general affection and not limited to romantic relationships

dear

vsdeary

Informal

∞ 1.0

A person you love or like very much

is the same simple affectionate label rather than a stronger or formal one

sweetie

vsdeary

Informal

991 2.8

A person you love or care for very much

is slightly more formal or neutral rather than casual affection

love

vsdeary

Informal

646 1.0

A word people use to address someone they care about, like dear

is a more casual affectionate label rather than this direct devotion

hon

vsdeary

Informal

274 8.2

A short, loving name for a partner or close friend

is more formal and general rather than this casual shorthand

shorty

vsdeary

Slang

83 9.0

An affectionate slang word often used for a girlfriend or close friend

is the neutral affectionate word not focused on size or slangy use

beloved

vsdeary

62 3.4

A person who is very much loved

is a softer everyday affectionate word rather than intense devotion

dearest

vsdeary

Informal

32 2.2

A person you love very much

is milder and more neutral in emotional intensity

ducky

vsdeary

Archaic

32 8.8

A person you love and treat with care

is a more modern neutral affectionate label rather than this old-fashioned one

sweet pea

vsdeary

Baby Talk

25 3.0

A loving name adults use for a child or pet

is the general affectionate word used for people of any age

dearie

vsdeary

Informal

21 8.1

A word used to show love or kindness to someone

is the general affectionate label used for a loved or cherished person

lovey

vsdeary

Informal

18 7.5

A gentle name used for someone you love

is more neutral and less cutesy in everyday use

luv

vsdeary

12 9.3

A friendly informal word used to call someone, often in British English

is a standard affectionate word rather than casual regional slang

poochie

vsdeary

Informal

9 9.1

A loving nickname for a child or someone you love

is a general affectionate label not limited to childlike nicknames

tootsie

vsdeary

Informal

5 9.3

A friendly name for someone you love or like

is the everyday affectionate word rather than a cute pet name

sookie

vsdeary

Informal

4 9.9

A name used to call someone in a loving way

is the general affectionate label without the playful nickname feel

joon

vsdeary

4 9.9

A Persian word used to show love to someone

is the standard English affectionate label rather than this cultural borrowing

amore

vsdeary

Informal

3 8.2

A friendly word you use to call someone you love, like 'darling'

is a common English affectionate name rather than romantic foreign style

honeybunch

vsdeary

Informal

2 7.6

A loving name you use for someone you care about

is the everyday affectionate name without extra emphasis on closeness

chee

vsdeary

Informal

1 9.9

A friendly way to call someone you like

is more standard and less slangy than this casual expression

dovey

vsdeary

Informal

1 9.5

A person you love and feel close to

is the general affectionate term rather than explicitly romantic slang

popsy

vsdeary

Informal

1 8.7

A friendly loving name for a child or someone you love

is the broader affectionate term rather than this child-focused nickname

babby

vsdeary

Informal

1 9.9

A name someone uses to show love for a partner or close friend

is the neutral affectionate label rather than this playful variant

dearling

vsdeary

Archaic

1 9.9

A person you love and care about a lot

is the current neutral affectionate label rather than this archaic form

sweetling

vsdeary

Archaic

1 8.1

A loving name for someone you care about

is the common everyday affectionate term rather than this diminutive form

tootsy

vsdeary

Informal

1 9.9

A loving name someone uses for a partner or close friend

is more neutral and not specifically playful or flirtatious

chérie

vsdeary

Informal

1 9.8

A French word used to call someone you love, like 'darling'

is the plain English affectionate term rather than a borrowed form

Antonyms

enemy

∞ 1.0

A person who wants to harm or defeat you

Surface Forms

deary singular

dearies plural

Morphology

deary = dear (transparent) = dear + y

Formed from 'dear' + the familiar affectionate nominalizing suffix '-y', so the meaning 'a beloved person' is directly inferred.

Etymology

Deary comes from the old word dear, which means 'precious' or 'beloved', and the friendly ending -y turns it into a warm, small name. So deary is used as a kind, loving word for someone you care about.