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!

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

Apr 10, 2026 · From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, …

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 …

Dear is written at the beginning of a letter or email, followed by the name or title of the person you are writing to. Dear Peter, I have been thinking about you so much during the past few days.

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."

He's a dear [= precious] friend of mine. my dearest friend Our neighbor is a dear old lady.