English · Word Candidate

dear

/dɪə/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: dearer · dearest · dears

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

High in price; expensive.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Đắt tiền

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

AdjectiveRegister: UK

Examples

The dearer the jewel, the greater the love expressed.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Loved; lovable.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Yêu thương; đáng yêu

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

"Yes, children dear, wait a bit till it turns itself," she answered - she ought to have said "till I turn it"[.]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A very kind, loving person.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Người rất tốt, yêu thương

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

My little cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A beloved person.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Người được yêu quý

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “dear” mean?

High in price; expensive.

Is “dear” formal or informal?

dear is generally UK.