Word
adorable
US/əˈdɔɹəbəɫ/
UK/ɐdˈɔːɹəbəl/
Definition
adj. very cute and easy to love. You use this to describe someone or something that makes you feel warm and happy, like a baby or a puppy.
adj. inspiring great affection or delight; charming and lovable. Often used to describe physical appearance or behavior that evokes a protective or warm emotional response.
Examples
“The new puppy is absolutely adorable.”
“She wore an adorable dress to the party that everyone kept complimenting.”
“While the child's curiosity was initially adorable, his persistent questioning eventually tested the patience of the exhausted flight attendants.”
Examples
simple
“The new puppy is absolutely adorable.”
contextual
“She wore an adorable dress to the party that everyone kept complimenting.”
complex
“While the child's curiosity was initially adorable, his persistent questioning eventually tested the patience of the exhausted flight attendants.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or a predicative adjective after a linking verb.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French adorable and its etymon Latin adorābilis, from adōrāre, from ad + ōrō + ōrāre. By surface analysis, adore + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/adorable