adorable
Americanadjective
-
very attractive; charming; lovable
-
rare deserving or eliciting adoration
Other Word Forms
- adorability noun
- adorableness noun
- adorably adverb
- unadorable adjective
- unadorableness noun
- unadorably adverb
Etymology
Origin of adorable
From the Latin word adōrābilis, dating back to 1605–15. See adore, -able
Explanation
Tie a pink ribbon around your puppy's neck and push him around in a stroller, and you'll either get worried stares or compliments on how adorable he looks. Adorable means lovable, sweet, and childlike. The adjective adorable is mostly used to mean "cute," when someone is describing something sweet or charming, like a baby or a pretty dress. The origins of the word adorable are actually religious; it was first used only to mean "worthy of adoration." The Latin word adorare, "to ask in prayer," is the root of adore, which in the 14th century meant "to worship." It wasn't until the 1880s that adorable began to mean "delightful" rather than "worthy of worshiping."
Vocabulary lists containing adorable
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -able, -ible
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And as for amateurs gainsaying the work of the Centro Stile design department, I think that’s adorable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
I know, I know, they’re adorable, with their wide “eyes” and squat toddler-like determination as they trundle along, pausing in careful recalculation whenever they encounter a curb, street sign, a sidewalk cafe table.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
A wild possum joined stuffed furry friends in an Australian airport gift shop this week, surprising travellers in an adorable case of hide and squeak.
From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026
"Teo has nothing to do with my regret, he's a fantastic, adorable boy and I love him fiercely," Carmen says.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
“You need to look sharp. The only bad thing is, people will be looking at your feet instead of your beautiful, adorable face.”
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
