cherish etymology

Etymology

  • From Middle English cherisshen, from Old French cheriss-, from Late Latin caritas ("love, affection"), from Latin cārus ("dear, beloved").

Meaning and Origin

The word "cherish" means to love, care for, and protect someone or something deeply and tenderly. It implies a strong emotional attachment and a desire to nurture and preserve what is valued.

The word has its origins in the Latin word "cārus," which means "dear" or "beloved." In the late Roman Empire, "cārus" came to be used in a Christian context to refer to the love of God for humanity. From this, the word "caritas" was derived, which means "love, affection," or "charity."

In the Middle Ages, the French language adopted "caritas" as "cheriss-" and it eventually entered the English language as "cherish." Over time, the meaning of the word evolved from its original sense of Christian love to a broader sense of deep affection and care for anyone or anything that is held dear.

Today, the word "cherish" is commonly used to express feelings of love, gratitude, and protectiveness towards loved ones, relationships, memories, possessions, and experiences that are deemed valuable and worthy of preservation.

cherish relate terms

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