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darling

noun
dar·​ling | \ ˈdär-liŋ How to pronounce darling (audio) \

Definition of darling

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a dearly loved person
2 : favorite a director who is the darling of the critics

darling

adjective

Definition of darling (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : dearly loved : favorite
2 : very pleasing : charming

Darling

geographical name
Dar·​ling | \ ˈdär-liŋ How to pronounce Darling (audio) \

Definition of Darling (Entry 3 of 3)

river 1702 miles (2738 kilometers) long in southeastern Australia in Queensland and New South Wales flowing southwest into the Murray River
Other Words from darling Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about darling

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Other Words from darling

Adjective

darlingly \ ˈdär-​liŋ-​lē How to pronounce darlingly (audio) \ adverb
darlingness noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for darling

Synonyms: Noun

fave, favorite, minion, pet, preference, speed

Synonyms: Adjective

beloved, cherished, dear, fair-haired, favored, favorite, fond, loved, pet, precious, special, sweet, white-headed

Antonyms: Adjective

unbeloved

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Did You Know?

Noun

The origins of "darling" can be found in the very heart of the English language; its earliest known uses can be traced back to Old English writings from the 9th century. Old English "deorling" was formed by attaching the Old English suffix -ling ("one associated with or marked by a specified quality") with the adjective "dēore," the ancestor of our adjective "dear" ("regarded very affectionately or fondly," "highly valued or esteemed," "beloved"). English speakers appear to have developed a fondness for "darling" and have held on to it for over a thousand years now. And though its spelling has changed over time - including variations such as "dyrling," "derlinge," and "dearling" - "darling" has maintained its original sense of "one dearly loved."

Examples of darling in a Sentence

Noun

 She was mother's little darling. for a while that candidate was the darling of the news media and could do no wrong
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Hollyday and Hansen had turned a decrepit former dry cleaners in a rough-trodden stretch of the city into Detroit’s darling vanguard of modern dining. — Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "The restaurant boom in metro Detroit is over. Here's why," 25 July 2019 Ugwu’s teleconference with former media darlings who eventually encountered a hostile Hollywood industry neglects their early success: the real triumph of getting a film finished and released, unlike dozens of luckless hopefuls. — Armond White, National Review, "The New York Times’ Black-Film Roundtable Ignores Black American Excellence," 10 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'darling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of darling

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for darling

Noun

Middle English derling, from Old English dēorling, from dēore dear

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More Definitions for darling

darling

noun
How to pronounce Darling (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of darling

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a person you love very much
: a kind and helpful person
: someone who is liked very much by a person or group

darling

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of darling (Entry 2 of 2)

: greatly loved
informal : very pleasing or attractive

See the full definition for darling in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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