Darling

How to spell darling

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce darling

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does darling mean?

1. nounA person who is dearly loved or cherished, often used as an affectionate name.
2. adjectiveCharming, endearing, or delightful in appearance or manner.

Darling in a sentence

• noun

  He left a note for his darling on the kitchen table.

• adjective

  They rented a darling little cottage near the coast for the summer.

• noun

  The whole family treated the new baby as their little darling.

• adjective

  The boutique sold a darling collection of handmade cards.

Where does darling come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word descends straight from Old English deorling, formed from deore, meaning 'dear, beloved, or precious', combined with the diminutive suffix -ling, which carried a sense of fondness or smallness. So at root the word literally meant 'little dear one', a tender pet name that has been used in English for well over a thousand years. The middle vowel softened over the centuries, and the spelling settled into 'darling' rather than the older 'deorling', though the connection to the everyday word 'dear' is still plain once you notice it. The same -ling suffix survives in words like 'duckling' and 'sapling', where it again signals something small or affectionately regarded. Remembering that darling is simply 'dear' plus an ending helps explain why it keeps the single l before -ing rather than doubling it.

How the word is built

• dear (Old English deore: beloved, precious)
• -ling (diminutive suffix denoting a small or cherished thing)