Darling

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈdɑː(ɹ)lɪŋ/
• Homophones: Darling
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)lɪŋ

Alternative forms

• darlin' informal
• dearling

Origin

From Middle English derling, from Old English dēorling ("darling, favorite, minion", also "household god"), corresponding to dear + -ling.

Full definition of darling

Noun

1. A person who is dear to one.
• 1959, Georgette Heyer, The Unknown Ajax Chapter 1, But Richmond, his grandfather's darling, after one thoughtful glance cast under his lashes at that uncompromising countenance appeared to lose himself in his own reflections.
• 2011, December 15, Felicity Cloake, How to cook the perfect nut roast, If there's such a thing as pariah food – a recipe shunned by mainstream menus, mocked to near extinction and consigned to niche hinterlands for evermore – then the nut roast, a dish whose very name has become a watchword for sawdusty disappointment, is surely a strong contender. One of the darlings of the early vegetarian movement (particularly in its even sadder form, the cutlet), it was on the menu at John Harvey Kellogg's Battle Creek Sanitarium sic, and has since become the default Sunday option for vegetarians – and a default source of derision for everyone else.

Derived terms

• media darling

Adjective

1. Dear; cherished.She is my darling wife of twenty-two years.
2. charmingWell isn't that a darling little outfit she has on.

Usage notes

darlinger is rarely used.

Anagrams

• larding