The meaning of DEAR is highly valued : precious —often used in a salutation. How to use dear in a sentence.

DEAR definition: 1. loved or liked very much: 2. used at the beginning of a letter to greet the person you are…. Learn more.

1. A person who is greatly loved. Often used as a form of address. 2. An endearing, lovable, or kind person: What a dear she is!

Dear is written at the beginning of a letter or email, followed by the name or title of the person you are writing to. Dear Peter, I have been thinking about you so much during the past few days.

used in conventional forms of address preceding a title or name, as in Dear Sir or my dear Mr Smith (postpositive) followed by to: important; close: a wish dear to her heart

Definition of dear adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Oct 11, 2025 · From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, …

noun a person who is good, kind, or generous. You're a dear to help me with the work. a beloved one. (sometimes initial capital letter), an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child …

dear definition: used to address someone affectionately. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "my dear fellow", "dear …

DEAR meaning: 1 : loved or valued very much often + to; 2 : used in writing to address someone