sweetheart

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sweet·heart

(swēt′härt′)

1. One who is loved.

2. Used as a familiar term of endearment.

3. Informal

a. A person regarded as generous or lovable.

b. Something cherished for its excellent qualities.

adj.

Involving privileged treatment of a favored party; illegally or unethically favorable: "another land grab, another sweetheart deal based on political influence" (Village Voice).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sweetheart

(ˈswiːtˌhɑːt)

1. a person loved by another

2. informal a lovable, generous, or obliging person

3. a term of endearment for a beloved or lovable person

adj

(Clothing & Fashion) of or relating to a garment with a sweetheart neckline: sweetheart cardigan.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sweet•heart

(ˈswitˌhɑrt)

n.

1. a person who is loved.

2. (sometimes cap.) an affectionate or familiar term of address (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, subordinates, etc.).

3. Informal. a generous, friendly person.

4. Informal. anything that arouses loyal affection.

[1250–1300]

usage: Definition 2 is an affectionate term of address used to a lover, child, etc. However, when used in the workplace or in social interactions with strangers, it is sometimes perceived as insulting.

sweetheart

valentine - Formerly a person chosen as a sweetheart or special friend, named for either of two Italian saints.
bully - First meant lover or sweetheart, then fine fellow, then blusterer, then "person who harms or threatens weaker people."
leman - An old word for "sweetheart, lover."
piggesnye - An old term of endearment for one's sweetheart, literally "a darling pig's eye."

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	sweetheart - a person loved by another person steady, sweetie, truelove lover - a person who loves someone or is loved by someone dulcinea, ladylove - a woman who is a man's sweetheart sugar daddy - a wealthy older man who gives a young person expensive gifts in return for friendship or intimacy valentine - a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day; "will you be my valentine?"
	2.	sweetheart - any well-liked individual; "he's a sweetheart" good person - a person who is good to other people
	3.	sweetheart - a very attractive or seductive looking woman knockout, lulu, mantrap, stunner, peach, ravisher, smasher, looker, beauty, dish adult female, woman - an adult female person (as opposed to a man); "the woman kept house while the man hunted"
Adj.	1.	sweetheart - privileged treatment of a favored person or corporation (sometimes unethically); "another sweetheart deal based on political influence" privileged - blessed with privileges; "the privileged few"

sweetheart

noun

1. dearest, beloved, sweet, angel, treasure, honey, dear, sweetie (informal) Happy birthday, sweetheart!

2. love, boyfriend or girlfriend, beloved, lover, steady (informal), flame (informal), darling, follower (obsolete), valentine, admirer, suitor, beau, swain (archaic), truelove, leman (archaic), inamorata or inamorato I married my childhood sweetheart, in Liverpool.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

sweetheart

noun

A person who is much loved:

beloved, darling, dear, honey, love, minion, precious, sweet, truelove.

Informal: sweetie.

Idiom: light of one's life.

Translations

حبيبحَبيب، مَحْبوب، حَبيبَه، مَحْبوبَه

chlapecdívkamiláček

kæresteskat

Liebste

εραστής ερωμένη

kullanmurukultainen

amante amoureux chéri

kedveseszivecském

elskankærasti; kærasta

innamorato

sympatia ukochany

возлюбленный симпатия

milá

canımsevgilitatlım

宝贝情人

sweetheart

[ˈswiːthɑːt] N → novio/a m/f, amor mf
he was her childhood sweetheart → era su amor de infancia
yes, sweetheart → sí, mi amor

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

sweetheart

[ˈswiːthɑː^rt] n

(= boyfriend) → chéri m (= girlfriend) → chérie f

(form of address) (= darling) → chéri(e) m/f
Happy birthday, sweetheart → Bon anniversaire, chérie.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

sweetheart

n → Schatz m, → Liebste(r) mf; sweetheart swindler (esp US) → Heiratsschwindler(in) m(f); soon they were sweethearts (dated) → bald waren sie ein Pärchen; Vera Lynn, the Forces’ sweetheart → Vera Lynn, der Liebling der Armee

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

sweetheart

[ˈswiːtˌhɑːt] n → innamorato/a
yes, sweetheart → sì, tesoro

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

sweet

(swiːt) adjective

1. tasting like sugar; not sour, salty or bitter. as sweet as honey; Children eat too many sweet foods.

2. tasting fresh and pleasant. young, sweet vegetables.

3. (of smells) pleasant or fragrant. the sweet smell of flowers.

4. (of sounds) agreeable or delightful to hear. the sweet song of the nightingale.

5. attractive or charming. What a sweet little baby!; a sweet face/smile; You look sweet in that dress.

6. kindly and agreeable. She's a sweet girl; The child has a sweet nature.

noun

1. (American ˈcandy) a small piece of sweet food eg chocolate, toffee etc. a packet of sweets; Have a sweet.

2. (a dish or course of) sweet food near or at the end of a meal; (a) pudding or dessert. The waiter served the sweet.

3. dear; darling. Hallo, my sweet!

ˈsweeten verb

to make or become sweet or sweeter. Did you sweeten (= put sugar in) my tea?

ˈsweetener noun

something that sweetens, eg a substance used for sweetening food. Saccharin is an artificial sweetener, often used instead of sugar.

ˈsweetly adverb

in an attractive, charming, agreeable or kindly manner. She sang/smiled very sweetly.

ˈsweetness noun

ˈsweetheart noun

1. a boyfriend or girlfriend.

2. used as an endearment for any beloved person, eg a child. Goodbye, sweetheart!

sweet potato

(the edible tuber of) a tropical twining plant.

sweet-ˈsmelling adjective

sweet-smelling flowers.

sweet-ˈtempered adjective

kind and friendly.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Years ago the Company betrayed my sweetheart by promise of marriage.

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'Yes, sweetheart,' said I; 'what do ye want?' 'I want room for two passengers,' says she.

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Your old sweetheart an't far off, and she's a blabber.'

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Willum's sweetheart is in the "veast" somewhere, and has strictly enjoined him not to get his head broke at back-swording, on pain of her highest displeasure; but as she is not to be seen (the women pretend not to like to see the backsword play, and keep away from the stage), and as his hat is decidedly getting old, he chucks it on to the stage, and follows himself, hoping that he will only have to break other people's heads, or that, after all, Rachel won't really mind.

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Come, come, then, sweetheart! Let us have no more of this.

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She then had all the ladies of the court drummed together; and when they heard her intention, all were very pleased, and said, 'We are very glad to hear it; it is the very thing we were thinking of.' You may believe every word I say, said the Raven; "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops about in the palace quite free, and it was she who told me all this.

View in context

Seated at my own table in clear noonday light I saw a person whom, without my previous experience, I should have taken at the first blush for some housemaid who might have stayed at home to look after the place and who, availing herself of rare relief from observation and of the schoolroom table and my pens, ink, and paper, had applied herself to the considerable effort of a letter to her sweetheart. There was an effort in the way that, while her arms rested on the table, her hands with evident weariness supported her head; but at the moment I took this in I had already become aware that, in spite of my entrance, her attitude strangely persisted.

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For four hours nothing happened, and not a word said, except that now and then she said, 'Keep it up, Boy, keep it up, sweetheart; we'll save him!' I kept it up.

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"Sometimes it's safer than when they're alive though, sweetheart," commented Dan.

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Lost Margaret took my heart with her--out there," said the old lover, who had been faithful for fifty years to his drowned sweetheart. "You won't mind if I talk a good deal about her, will you, Mistress Blythe?

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A person who is near enough to me to be my relation and far enough off from me to be my sweetheart, is a double-faced sort of person that I don't like.

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The audience was just enthusiastic enough over it to have her return and sing a sorrowful lay, whose lines told of a mother's love and a sweetheart who waited and a young man who was lost at sea under the most harrowing circumstances.