Standard Lemma guide

sweetheart

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈswiːtˌhɑːt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ˈswɪi̯tˌhɑːt]
  • /ˈswitˌhɑɹt/ without t-flapping
  • [ˈswɪi̯tˌhɑɹ̈t] without t-flapping
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈswiɾˌɑɹt/ t-flapping
  • [ˈswɪi̯ˌɾ(ɦ)ɑɹt̠̚] t-flapping
  • rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)t
  • CMU ARPABET: S W IY1 T HH AA2 R T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person who is always very kind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • She is such a sweetheart: she never complains about me being late.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person very much liked or loved by someone, especially when both partners are young.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • John married his high-school sweetheart in 1981.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A term of endearment, especially for a lover or child.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A female member of a college or university fraternity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

privileged treatment of a favored person or corporation (sometimes unethically)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • another sweetheart deal based on political influence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a very attractive or seductive looking woman

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: smasher, stunner, knockout, beauty, ravisher, peach, lulu, looker, mantrap, dish

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: woman, adult female

7

noun

Meaning 7

any well-liked individual

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he's a sweetheart

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: good person

8

noun

Meaning 8

a person loved by another person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sweetie, steady, truelove

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lover

Narrower terms: ladylove, dulcinea, sugar daddy, valentine

History

Etymology

From Middle English swete heorte, swete hert (term of endearment); equivalent to sweet + heart.

Across languages

Translations

168 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Assamese: কলিজা (koliza) — a person who is always very kind
  • Finnish: kullanmuru — a person who is always very kind
  • Finnish: kultainen — a person who is always very kind
  • French: chéri — a person who is always very kind
  • German: Schatz — a person who is always very kind
  • German: herzensguter Mensch — a person who is always very kind
  • German: Seele von Mensch — a person who is always very kind
  • Hungarian: kedves ember — a person who is always very kind
  • Italian: gentile — a person who is always very kind
  • Italian: cara — a person who is always very kind
  • Italian: caro — a person who is always very kind
  • Macedonian: душа (duša) — a person who is always very kind
  • Macedonian: душичка (dušička) — a person who is always very kind
  • Polish: baranek — a person who is always very kind
  • Portuguese: gentil — a person who is always very kind
  • Portuguese: meigo — a person who is always very kind
  • Romanian: drag — a person who is always very kind
  • Romanian: dragă — a person who is always very kind
  • Russian: ду́шка (dúška) — a person who is always very kind
  • Spanish: dulzura — a person who is always very kind
  • Arabic: حَبِيب (ḥabīb) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Arabic: حَبِيبَة (ḥabība) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Assamese: কলিজা (koliza) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Belarusian: лю́бы (ljúby) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Belarusian: лю́бая (ljúbaja) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Belarusian: мі́лы (míly) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Belarusian: мі́лая (mílaja) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: скъп (skǎp) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: скъ́па (skǎ́pa) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: люби́м (ljubím) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: люби́ма (ljubíma) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: ли́бе (líbe) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: лю́бе (ljúbe) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: възлю́бен (vǎzljúben) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Bulgarian: възлю́бена (vǎzljúbena) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Burmese: ရည်းစား (rany:ca:) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Burmese: အချစ် (a.hkyac) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Burmese: ချစ်သူ (hkyacsu) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Cherokee: ᏧᎾᏓᏓᏡᎩ (tsunadadatlugi) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Chinese: 阿娜達 /阿娜达 — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Chinese: 阿娜达 (a-na-ta) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Chinese Mandarin: 親愛的 /亲爱的 (qīn'ài de) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Chinese Mandarin: 寶貝 /宝贝 (bǎobèi) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Czech: miláček — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Danish: elskede — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Danish: skat — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Finnish: kullanmuru — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Finnish: kultanen — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Finnish: rakas — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Finnish: sydänkäpy — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • French: amante — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • French: chéri — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • French: chérie — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • French: amour — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • French: ange — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Georgian: სატრფო (saṭrpo) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Georgian: მიჯნური (miǯnuri) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Georgian: საყვარელი (saq̇vareli) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Liebchen — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Liebling — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Schatz — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Liebster — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Liebste — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Herzallerliebster — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • German: Herzallerliebste — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Greek: εραστής (erastís) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Greek: ερωμένη (eroméni) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hebrew: מותק (móteq) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hindi: प्रिय (priya) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hindi: प्रिया (priyā) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hindi: प्रियतम (priytam) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hindi: प्रियतमा (priyatmā) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hungarian: szerelem — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hungarian: édesem — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hungarian: kedvesem — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hungarian: szerelmem — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hungarian: drágám — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Hungarian: kicsim — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Ingrian: kultoin — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Irish: cumann — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Italian: amore — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Italian: tesoro — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Italian: dolcezza — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: カレシ (kareshi) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: カノジョ (kanojo) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: 恋人 (koibito) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: スイートハート (suītohāto) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: 愛すべき (aisubeki) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: ダーリン (dārin) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: ハニー (hanī) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: 貴方 (anata) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Japanese: 君 (kimi) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Korean: 여보 (yeobo) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Korean: 자기 (jagi) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Latin: dēliciae — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Latin: corculum — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Latin: melculum — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Latin: ocellus — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Latin: animulus — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: љубен (ljuben) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: љубена (ljubena) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: либе (libe) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: душичка (dušička) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: срцка (srcka) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: срцуле (srcule) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Macedonian: душиче (dušiče) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Malay: sayang — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: whaiāipo — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: tau — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: tahu — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: ipo — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: kaimanawa — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: kaihou — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Māori: ate — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Michif: nicimos — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Navajo: sheʼashkii — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Navajo: sheʼatʼééd — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Norwegian: søtnos — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Norwegian: søting — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Persian: دلدار (deldâr) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Persian: دلارام (delârâm) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Persian: دلبر (delbar) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Persian: یار (yâr) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Plautdietsch: Schauz — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Polish: sympatia — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Polish: ukochany — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Polish: ukochana — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Polish: kochanie — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Portuguese: amor — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Portuguese: tesouro — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Portuguese: doçura — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Portuguese: querido — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Portuguese: anjo — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Romanian: iubit — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Romanian: iubită — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Romanian: drag — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Romanian: drăguță — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: возлю́бленный (vozljúblennyj) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: возлю́бленная (vozljúblennaja) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: дорого́й (dorogój) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: дорога́я (dorogája) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: люби́мый (ljubímyj) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: люби́мая (ljubímaja) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: ду́шенька (dúšenʹka) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: голу́бушка (golúbuška) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: ми́лый (mílyj) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Russian: ми́лая (mílaja) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Scottish Gaelic: leannan — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Serbo-Croatian: диридика — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Serbo-Croatian: diridika — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Slovak: miláčik — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Slovak: srdiečko — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Slovene: ljubček — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Slovene: ljubica — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Spanish: corazón — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Swahili: tamu — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Swahili: pipi — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Swedish: älskling — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Swedish: raring — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Swedish: sötnos — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Taos: pìaʼąsíne — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Thai: หวานใจ (wǎan-jai) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Turkish: sevgili — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Ukrainian: ми́лий (mýlyj) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Ukrainian: ми́ла (mýla) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Ukrainian: коха́ний (koxányj) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Ukrainian: коха́на (koxána) — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
  • Vietnamese: người yêu — a person very much liked or loved by someone — see also darling, cutie
Real reading context

sweetheart in complete knowledge articles