Dearness
/ˈdɪr.nəs/noun
The quality or state of being dear, beloved, or expensive.
Did you know?In English, *dear* has long meant both “beloved” and “costly,” a semantic split that makes dearness one of the language’s quiet little spells of attachment and value.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deh₂-
“to set, put, place”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*dērjaz
“dear, precious, costly”
Old English
OE
dēore
“precious, costly; beloved, dear”
Middle English
ME
dere
“dear, precious, costly”
Modern English
English
dearness
“the quality or state of being dear; affection or high price”