English word darling comes from English dear, English -ling, and later Middle English dereling (Darling.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| dear | English (en) | (obsolete) Fierce.. Severe, or severely affected; sore. Dearly; at a high price (obsolete) To endear. A beloved person. A very kind, loving person. (generally, _, dated) High in price; expensive.. (obsolete) Noble.. A formal way to start (often after my) addressing somebody one likes or regards kindly.. A formal way to start (possibly after my) addressing somebody at the beginning of a [...] |
| -ling | English (en) | A suffix forming diminutives with the meanings of:. A follower or resident of what is denoted by the original root or stem.. A small, immature, or miniature version of what is denoted by the main stem. An adverbial suffix denoting manner, direction or position. |
| dēorling | Old English (ang) | |
| dereling | Middle English (enm) | Darling. |
| darling | English (en) | Dear; cherished.. Charming (by extension) A person or thing very popular with a certain group.. A person who is dear to one. |