Definition of dear adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Career experts recommend using “dear” as a salutation in formal email correspondence, such as cover letters, but only when you know the recipient’s name; the impersonal “Dear Sir or Madam” is definitely extinct.
DEAR ABBY: My best friend of more than 10 years, “Ian,” ghosted me! We used to talk about everything — wives, children, jobs. We spent hours together and helped each other sort out our problems.
1. A person who is greatly loved. Often used as a form of address. 2. An endearing, lovable, or kind person: What a dear she is!