dearie

dearie — noun

1. A kind and affectionate word that you call someone you know well or care about —

1.名詞B1
釋義

A kind and affectionate word that you call someone you know well or care about — similar to 'dear' or 'darling' but even more informal. It is most often used by women, or when speaking warmly to children and younger people.

例句

"Don't you worry about a thing, dearie," said Mrs. Nkechi as she poured the tea.

vocative noun within direct speech

The café owner always called her regular customers "dearie" with a friendly nod.

同義詞
  • darling

    Warmer and more intimate; can be used between romantic partners or toward children

  • dear

    Similar but less informal; 'dear' is common in British English letter-writing and family address

  • sweetie

    Equally informal; more common in modern American English and across age groups

  • honey

    Very common in American English as a casual term of endearment; less old-fashioned than 'dearie'

文法句型

dearie (used within direct speech)

用法筆記

Almost exclusively used by women or when speaking to children and young people. Adult men rarely use this word toward other adult men, and some younger speakers consider it old-fashioned or quaint.

常見錯誤

❌The manager addressed the staff as dearie during the meeting.
✅The manager addressed the staff as everyone during the meeting.
💡'dearie' is too informal for professional or formal settings.
❌Hey dearie, pass me the report.
✅Hey, could you pass me the report?
💡Using 'dearie' between male coworkers sounds unnatural; it is nearly never used that way.