# dearest

/ˈdɪɹəst/ (US) · /dˈiəɹəst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dearest
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. most loved

adjective · CEFR A2

loved more than anyone or anything else.

For teachers: the superlative form of 'dear', indicating the highest level of affection or importance to the speaker.

- He lost his dearest friend in the war and missed him every day.
- The poet dedicated the entire collection to his dearest companion, whose support had been his only comfort during years of exile.

### 2. in letter writing

adjective · CEFR B1 · Literary · Formal

a very loving way to start a letter to a family member or close friend.

For teachers: a highly affectionate salutation used in personal correspondence, more intimate than 'Dear'.

- She began the letter with 'My dearest Mother' before sharing the news.
- The archive contains several bundles of letters beginning with 'Dearest', revealing a level of intimacy the couple never displayed in public.

### 3. a loved person

noun · CEFR B2 · Archaic · Literary

a name you call someone you love, like a husband, wife, or child.

For teachers: a term of endearment used as a vocative or to refer to a beloved person.

- Don't worry, my dearest, everything will be fine.
- In the final scene of the play, he turns to his wife and calls her his 'only dearest' before the curtain falls.

## Examples

- She is my dearest friend in the world.
- He saved his dearest memories in a small leather journal kept on the bedside table.
- The dearest treasures of the ancient civilization were not gold or jewels, but the clay tablets containing the first written laws.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.