well-belovedadj.n.
/ˌwɛlbᵻˈlʌv(ᵻ)d/, U.S. /ˌwɛlbəˈləv(ə)d/, /ˌwɛlbiˈləv(ə)d/ A. adj.
1. Dearly loved, greatly beloved.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > loved one > [adjective] > loved very much
well-loveda1400
well-belovedc1405
c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 215 Ful wel biloued and famylier was hee With Frankeleyns ouer al in his contree.
c1440 Privity of Passion (Thornton) in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1895) I. 218 Mari Mawdeleyne, þat wele-beluffed discypulas of Ihesu.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection i. sig. Civ The christen man, as the welbyloued chylde of god.
1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Scotl. 396/2 in Chron. I The people generally lamenting his deathe with no lesse sorowe..than as is seene in a priuate house for the deceasse of the welbeloued maister and owner thereof.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) iii. ii. 174 Through this [rent], the wel-beloued Brutus stabb'd. View more context for this quotation
1648 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 202 Susan Despotin, my well-beloued wife.
1745 in H. H. Metcalf & O. G. Hammond Probate Rec. New Hampsh. (1915) III. 320 I give to my welbeloved Daughter Sarah King all my Pewter which is Fouer Platers Six Plates One Bason.
1799 H. Lee Canterbury Tales (ed. 2) I. 335 Lothaire..was the trusty and well-beloved page of Louis IX.
1831 W. Scott Count Robert iii, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. I. 101 Our well-beloved and highly-gifted daughter.
1850 Ld. Tennyson In Memoriam c. 154 We leave the well-beloved place Where first we gazed upon the sky. View more context for this quotation
1962 C. Ekwensi Burning Grass (1990) xxi. 118 Sunsayed was indeed well beloved.
1992 M. A. Tellechea tr. R. L. Escalona Tiger & Children ii. 25 That dangerous and corrupt love that makes some people..second whatever action or decision is taken by their well-beloved leader.
2. Chiefly in or with reference to royal letters, decrees, etc., prefixed to the name or designation of a lord: highly esteemed or honoured. Usually in (right) trusty and well-beloved; cf. trusty adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > loved one > [adjective] > prefaced to names in letters
well-beloved1409
society > communication > correspondence > letter > [adjective] > specific introduction
well-beloved1409
dear1450
1409 in T. Rymer Fœdera (1709) VIII. 584 My Dere Worsepful and well beloved Cousyn, I thank you hertely.
1443 King Henry VI Let. 17 Aug. in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1846) 3rd Ser. I. 79 Our right trusty and right welbelouyd Cousin Therl of Suffolk.
1516 Reg. Privy Seal Scotl. I. 423/2 Our welebelovit knycht and counsalour William Scot of Balwery.
1648 in S. R. Gardiner Hamilton Papers (1880) 241 Our right trustie and right wellbeloued cousin the Earle of Lauderdaill.
1803 in Minutes of Evid. Nairne Peerage (1873) 111 in Sessional Papers House of Lords (H.L. A) XII. 65 Our right trusty and welbeloved George Keith baron Keith of Stone Haven.
1814 W. Scott Let. 10 Nov. (1932) III. 514 He would tell you of my departure with our trusty and well-beloved Erskine.
1884 W. V. Harcourt in 1st Rep. Commissioners Housing of Working Classes (1885) Pref. 3 in Parl. Papers 1884–5 (C. 4402) XXX. 1 To Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor Sir C. W. Dilke.
1924 Burke's Peerage 3 A Viscount..is officially addressed by the Crown as ‘Our right trusty and well-beloved Cousin’.
2002 D. Cannadine In Churchill's Shadow (2003) iii. 50 Dukes were customarily referred to by kings as their ‘right trusty and well-beloved cousins’.
B. n.† 1. In letters, decrees, etc.: a highly esteemed or honoured sovereign or lord; cf. sense A. 2. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1423–4 Rolls of Parl.: Henry VI (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1423 §35. m. 25 Ryght worshipfull and worshipfull faders in God, oure ryght trusty and welebeloved.
1524 King Henry VIII in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1824) 1st Ser. I. 239 Trusty and welbiloved we grete you wele.
1544 in R. Sanderson Rymer's Fœdera (1719) XV. 19 Oure Welebelovittis Hew Cunnygahame, and Thomas Bischop.
1732 King George II Charter of Georgia in B. P. Poore State Constit. (1877) I. 371 And our will and pleasure is, that the first president of the said corporation is and shall be our trusty and well-beloved, the said Lord John Viscount Percival.
2. A dearly loved person. Chiefly with possessive adjective.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > loved one > [noun]
darlingc888
the apple of a person's eyeeOE
lief971
light of one's eye(s)OE
lovedOE
my lifelOE
lovec1225
druta1240
chere1297
sweetc1330
popelotc1390
likinga1393
oninga1400
onlepya1400
belovedc1430
well-beloved1447
heart-rootc1460
deara1500
delicate1531
belove1534
leefkyn1540
one and only1551
fondling1580
dearing1601
precious1602
loveling1606
dotey1663
lovee1753
passion1783
mavourneen1800
dote1809
treasure1844
seraph1853
sloe1884
darlint1888
asthore1894
darl1930
1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) l. 1873 (MED) God..whan he þe wombe of his welbelouyde sothly Schettyth, he it opnyth þe more meruelusly.
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1876) VI. 79 Technyge Beda his welbelovyde while that he lyvede.
1575 G. Gascoigne Glasse of Gouernem. iii. iii. sig. Fiiiv Nowe my welbeloued, and what sayth the..Markgraue vnto you?
1611 Bible (King James) Cant. i. 13 A bundle of myrrhe is my welbeloued vnto me. View more context for this quotation
1797 M. G. Lewis tr. F. Schiller Minister i. ii. 12 She throws herself at her father's feet, and entreats either for death or the well-beloved of her bosom.
a1806 H. K. White Hymn in Remains (1807) II. 121 God sees his Well-beloved's face.
1891 R. Kipling Light that Failed xv. 317 Then he comes back to me, for his well-beloved is here.
1999 S. Lipshitz-Phillips in S. Ruszczynski & S. Johnson Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Kleinian Trad. ii. 49 In his loss, Jocelyn was able to work successfully at his sculpture... However, he was constantly plagued by his well-beloved.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.n.c1405