dear
Translation
dear, expensive, beloved
Examples
She is a very dear friend.
She is a very dear friend.
The cost of living is getting very dear.
The cost of living is getting very dear.
He wrote, 'Dear Mum,' at the start of the letter.
He wrote, 'Dear Mom,' at the start of the letter.
Grammar Patterns
a dear ((sb./sth.)) beloved or valued. She is a dear friend.
(as an adjective) expensive. The food was very dear.
Dear ((sb.)), used as a salutation in a letter. Dear Sir,
Similar Words
Synonyms: beloved, precious, expensive; Antonyms: cheap, disliked
Etymology
From Old English 'dēore', meaning 'precious, valuable, costly, beloved'.
Memory Tips
Something 'dear' to you is valuable, whether it's a person (beloved) or an item (expensive).