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дорогой. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
дорогой, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
дорогой in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
дорогой you have here. The definition of the word
дорогой will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
дорогой, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Russian
Etymology 1
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *dorgъ. Doublet of драго́й (dragój), a borrowing from Old Church Slavonic.
Pronunciation
Adjective
дорого́й • (dorogój) (comparative (по)доро́же, superlative дорожа́йший)
- dear, precious
- expensive
- Antonym: дешёвый (dešóvyj)
1869, Иван Гончаров, “Часть I. Глава XIII”, in Обрыв; English translation from Stephen Pearl, transl., Malinovka Heights, Alma Classics, 2020:Е́сли случа́йно попадё́т туда́ высокой ки́сти карти́на, дорога́я ста́туя — они́ це́нятся не удивле́нием ки́сти и резцу́, а запла́ченной су́ммой.- Jésli slučájno popadjót tudá vysokoj kísti kartína, dorogája státuja — oní cénjatsja ne udivlénijem kísti i rezcú, a zapláčennoj súmmoj.
- If by chance the apartment happened to contain a painting by a reputable artist, or an expensive piece of statuary, it would be valued not by an appreciation of its merits as a work of art, but for how much it cost.
Usage notes
- In the sense of "my dear", this word is not restricted to use between men and women, but is quite common between friends of the same sex, or a teacher to any of his students without regard to sex. When used between men, мой дорогой (moj dorogoj) usually is not translated, since English does not possess a good unisex counterpart to this.
Declension
Declension of дорого́й (short class c)
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Noun
доро́гой • (dorógoj) f inan
- instrumental singular of доро́га (doróga)