Definition

1. Noun:

   • A special loved one; a person who is very dear to another: "darling" refers to a person who is cherished and loved deeply, often used as a term of endearment.
   • A favorite; someone or something especially popular or favored: "darling" can also describe a person or thing that is the particular favorite of a group or the public.

2. Adjective:

   • Dearly loved; cherished: Describes someone or something that is loved very much.
   • Charming, pleasing, or delightful: Used to describe something or someone as very attractive or appealing in a sweet way.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She is the darling of the literary world. (She is the favorite and most admired person in the literary world.)
  • "Goodnight, my darling," he whispered. ("Goodnight, my beloved," he whispered.)

• Adjective:

  • Their darling daughter just started school. (Their dearly loved daughter just started school.)
  • What a darling little cottage! (What a charming and delightful little cottage!)

Advanced Usage

• "the darling of": a phrase used to indicate that someone is the favorite or most admired person within a specific group, field, or context.
  • The young singer quickly became the darling of the critics. (The young singer quickly became the critics' favorite.)

Variants and Related Words

• Darlingly (adverb): in a darling or charming manner.
  • The children smiled darlingly for the camera.
• Darlingness (noun, rare): the quality of being darling.

Synonyms

• Beloved: dearly loved.
• Sweetheart: a person with whom one is in love; a term of endearment.
• Favorite: a person or thing preferred to all others.
• Dear: regarded with deep affection.

Related Phrases

• Media darling: a person who is a favorite of, or receives favorable treatment from, the news media.
  • The politician was a media darling during his first campaign.
• Darling bud: a literary term, famously used by Shakespeare, referring to a precious, young, and beautiful thing.
  • "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May..." (Sonnet 18)

Idioms

• "Teacher's darling": a student who is perceived as the teacher's favorite.
  • He was always the teacher's darling, getting the best grades and most praise.
• "Fortune's darling": a person who is especially lucky or favored by fate.
  • He seemed to be fortune's darling, succeeding in every venture he tried.

Adjective

1. dearly loved

Noun

1. an Australian river; tributary of the Murray River
2. a special loved one