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Intermediate Dictionary
       

dear

 
pronunciation:
dir
parts of speech:
adjective, noun, interjection
features:
Homophone Note
part of speech: adjective
inflections: dearer, dearest
definition 1: much loved.
My dear friend Janet is coming to visit.
synonyms:
cherished, loved, precious, treasured
similar words:
darling, favorite, intimate, pet
definition 2: (capitalized) used as a greeting that begins a letter.
"Dear Carlos," the letter began.
definition 3: costing a lot of or too much money.
A ring with a real diamond will be dear.
synonyms:
costly, expensive, high, steep
antonyms:
cheap
similar words:
excessive, extravagant, valuable
 
part of speech: noun
definition: a person who is liked or loved by the person speaking.
What would you like, dear?
synonyms:
darling, honey, sweetheart
similar words:
jewel
 
part of speech: interjection
definition: used to express surprise, disappointment, or dismay.
Oh, dear! I've lost my key.
synonyms:
heavens
derivations: dearly (adv.), dearness (n.)
Homophone Note
Are you looking for the word deer (an animal)? Dear and deer sound alike but have different meanings.