sweetheart

From Middle English swete hert, swete heorte (phrase of endearment); equivalent to sweet +‎ heart.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈswiːtˌhɑːt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈswitˌhɑɹt/,

• Audio (US):

  (file)

sweetheart (plural sweethearts)

1. A person who is always very kind.

   She is such a sweetheart: she never complains about me being late.

2. A person very much liked or loved by someone, especially when both partners are young.

   John married his high-school sweetheart in 1981.

   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], Romeo and Iuliet.  (Second Quarto), London: Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, , published 1599, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:

     Why Lambe, why Lady, fie you ſluggabed, / Why Loue I ſay, Madam, ſweeteheart, why Bride: / What not a word, you take your penniworths now, / Sleepe for a weeke, […]

3. (US) A female member of a college or university fraternity.

• (kind person): sweetie.
• (romantic term of endearment): babe, baby, dear, darling, sweetie, see also Thesaurus:sweetheart

• sweetheart cabbage
• sweetheart cake
• sweetheart contract
• sweetheart deal
• sweetheart neckline
• sweetheart tax deal

• sweet
• sweetie

• washerette, wet heaters