Revised 2011
Factsheet
What does the adjective adorable mean?
There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective adorable. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the adjective adorable?
About 0.7occurrences per million words in modern written English
See frequency
How is the adjective adorable pronounced?
British English
/əˈdɔːrəbl/
uh-DOR-uh-buhl
U.S. English
/əˈdɔrəb(ə)l/
uh-DOR-uh-buhl
See pronunciation
Where does the adjective adorable come from?
Earliest known use
early 1600s
The earliest known use of the adjective adorable is in the early 1600s.
OED's earliest evidence for adorable is from 1601, in a translation by Thomas Lodge, author and physician.
adorable is of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin.
Etymons: French adorable; Latin adōrābilis.
See etymology
Nearby entries
- adoptional, adj.1660–
- Adoptionism, n.1833–
- 1802–
- adoptious, adj.a1616
- adoptive, adj.c1429–
- adoptive Act, n.1873–
- adoptively, adv.1616–
- adoptor, n.1611–
- ador, n.?1440
- adorability, n.1637–
- adorable, adj.1601–
- adorableness, n.1648–
- adorably, adv.1679–
- adoral, adj.1862–
- adorally, adv.1882–
- 1569–
- adorat, n.1671
- adoration, n.c1443–
- adorative, adj.1637–
- adoratory, n.1800–
- adoratory, adj.1660–
Browse more nearby entries
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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