Cherish
/ˈtʃer.ɪʃ/noun
To love, protect, and care for someone or something deeply.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Old French *cherir*, from *cher* meaning “dear,” so its oldest sense is less romance and more “treat as precious.”
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
carus
“dear, beloved”
Late Latin
Latin
carus > *carus*/*carus* (through Vulgar Latin developments)
“dear, valued”
Old French
Old French
cherir
“to hold dear, prize”
Middle English
English
cherissen
“to love, protect, or treat as dear”
Modern English
English
cherish
“to feel and show deep affection for; to guard and treasure”