cherish (v.)

early 14c., cherischen, "hold as dear, treat with tenderness and affection," from Old French cheriss-, present-participle stem of chierir "to hold dear" (12c., Modern French chérir), from chier "dear," from Latin carus "dear, costly, beloved" (from PIE root *ka- "to like, desire"). The Latin word also is the source of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese caro; Old Provençal, Catalan car.

The meaning "indulge and encourage in the mind" is from late 14c. Related: Cherished; cherishing.

also from early 14c.

Entries linking to cherish

caress (n.)

1640s, "a show of endearment, display of regard," from French caresse (16c.), a back-formation from caresser or else from Italian carezza "endearment," from caro "dear," from Latin carus "dear, costly, beloved" (from PIE root *ka- "to like, desire"). The meaning "affectionate stroke" is attested in English from 1650s. Related to charity, cherish.

*ka-

*kā-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to like, desire."

It forms all or part of: caress; charity; cherish; Kama Sutra; whore; whoredom.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit Kama, name of the Hindu god of love, kamah "love, desire;" Old Persian kama "desire;" Latin carus "dear;" Old Irish cara "friend;" Old English hore "prostitute, harlot."

Trends of cherish

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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treasure

mid-12c., tresor, from Old French tresor "treasury, hoard, treasure" (11c., Modern French trésor), from Gallo-Roman *tresaurus, from Latin thesaurus "treasury, treasure" (source also of Spanish, Italian tesoro), from Greek thēsauros "store, treasure, treasure house," related to t

foment

Late Latin fomentare, from Latin fomentum "warm application, poultice," contraction of *fovimentum, from fovere "to warm; cherish...

hug

Others have noted the similarity in some senses to German hegen "to foster, cherish," originally "to enclose with a hedge...

clip

by pressure," also (mostly archaic) "to embrace," from Old English clyppan "to embrace, clasp; surround; prize, honor, cherish...

love

Old English lufian "to feel love for, cherish, show love to; delight in, approve," from Proto-Germanic *lubojanan (source...

prophylactic

one's guard," from pro "before" (see pro-) + phylassein, Ionic variant of phylattein "to watch over, to guard," but also "cherish...

breed

Old English bredan "bring (young) to birth, procreate," also "cherish, keep warm," from West Germanic *brodjan (source also...

yearn

Old English giernan (West Saxon), geornan (Mercian), giorna (Northumbrian) "to strive, be eager, desire, seek for, beg, demand," from Proto-Germanic *gernjan (source also of Gothic gairnjan "to desire," German begehren "to desire;" Old High German gern, Old Norse gjarn "desirous,

car

c. 1300, "wheeled vehicle," from Anglo-French carre, Old North French carre, from Vulgar Latin *carra, related to Latin carrum, carrus (plural carra), originally "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot," from Gaulish karros, a Celtic word (compare Old Irish and Welsh carr "cart, wagon,"

care

Old English caru, cearu "sorrow, anxiety, grief," also "burdens of mind; serious mental attention," in late Old English also "concern, anxiety caused by apprehension of evil or the weight of many burdens," from Proto-Germanic *karō "lament; grief, care" (source also of Old Saxon

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updated on December 05, 2022

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