The meaning of DEAR is highly valued : precious —often used in a salutation. How to use dear in a sentence.

DEAR definition: 1. loved or liked very much: 2. used at the beginning of a letter to greet the person you are…. Learn more.

1. A person who is greatly loved. Often used as a form of address. 2. An endearing, lovable, or kind person: What a dear she is!

Apr 10, 2026 · An ironic way to start (often after my) addressing an inferior or someone one dislikes. My dear man, you ought to think twice about who you're trying to blackmail. (obsolete) Noble. synonyms …

used in conventional forms of address preceding a title or name, as in Dear Sir or my dear Mr Smith (postpositive) followed by to: important; close: a wish dear to her heart

Definition of dear adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Dear definition: Highly esteemed or regarded. Used in direct address, especially in salutations.

As a written form of address — such as " Dear Mr. So-and-so" — dear is generally a polite but impersonal standard greeting. Dear can sometimes mean expensive, as in "The cost of food is so …

You use dear to describe someone or something that you feel affection for. Mrs Cavendish is a dear friend of mine. At last I am back at my dear little desk.

If someone or something is dear to you, it means you hold them or it very close to your heart, as in "My country is very dear to me" or "She is a dear friend."