beloved
/bɪˈlʌv.ɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /bɪˈlʌvd/ (ame, ipa) · /bi-ˈləvd -ˈlə-vəd bē-/ (ame, mw) · /bɪˈlʌv.ɪd/ (ame, ipa)
beloved — adjective
1. treasured by someone with deep, lasting affection — used of a person, animal, pl
treasured by someone with deep, lasting affection — used of a person, animal, place, or object that holds a special place in the heart, such as a grandmother, a family pet, or a childhood home.
Grandma Rosa kept her beloved photo album on the small wooden table by the window.
attributive: beloved + noun (cherished object)
The old farmhouse had been in the family for a century and was beloved by everyone.
predicative: be beloved by + somebody
Paloma brought flowers to the grave of her beloved wife every Sunday morning.
Children across Taiwan grew up reading the beloved stories of the old fox and the moon.
After fifteen years together, the family said goodbye to their beloved golden retriever.
- cherished
very close in meaning; slightly less formal and more about active care
- dear
everyday word for the same idea; can also be a direct address ('my dear')
- treasured
stresses being kept safe because of value; common with objects and memories
- adored
stronger and more emotional; suggests almost worship-like feeling
文法句型
beloved + noun
beloved by + somebody
用法筆記
Almost always attributive (before a noun) or in the pattern 'beloved by [someone]'. Carries warm, often nostalgic or solemn feeling, so it suits eulogies, dedications, and tributes more than everyday speech.
常見錯誤
beloved — noun
1. the person with whom one shares a romantic bond — used in poetry, wedding speech
the person with whom one shares a romantic bond — used in poetry, wedding speeches, and old letters to refer to a husband, wife, or sweetheart in a tender, almost ceremonial way.
In the final letter, the soldier wrote, 'My beloved, I count the days until I see you.'
vocative use: 'my beloved' as direct address
At the altar, Omar turned to his beloved and read the vows he had written by hand.
possessive + beloved (wedding context)
The poet spent forty years writing letters to his beloved across the sea.
Imani laid white roses on the bench where she had first kissed her beloved.
- sweetheart
warm and old-fashioned but everyday; less ceremonial
- darling
common term of endearment; works in speech and address
- lover
more physical and modern; can imply a relationship outside marriage
文法句型
my/his/her beloved
beloved + (of + person)
用法筆記
Almost never appears alone — needs a possessive ('my', 'his', 'her') or a defining phrase. Heavily literary or ceremonial; in everyday Taiwan-English speech, learners should use 'partner', 'boyfriend', 'girlfriend', or 'husband/wife' instead.