dear
noun
a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
Synonymslamb
adjective
dearly loved
with or in a close or intimate relationship
“a good friend”
“my sisters and brothers are near and dear”
sincerely earnest
“one's dearest wish”
“devout wishes for their success”
having a high price
“costly jewelry”
“high-priced merchandise”
adverb
with affection
“she loved him dearly”
“he treats her affectionately”
at a great cost
“he paid dearly for the food”
“this cost him dear”
Synonymsdearly
Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University