French word

bien-aimé

Pronunciation

IPA/bjɛ̃neme/

Meaning

  • adjectivebeloved

Example

Je pense à mon bien-aimé chaque jour.

I think of my beloved every day.

Illustration for bien-aimé (beloved)

More examples

Il est bien-aimé de sa famille.

He is loved by his family.

Core concept

A cherished figure held close in the heart and given a special place in one's affections.

Common phrases

  • être bien-aimé

    be loved

  • être bien-aimé de

    be loved by ___

Similar words

chéri: Dearly cherished with warm, affectionate fondness.
aimé: Loved and valued by people who care deeply.
adoré: Loved intensely and held in especially high regard.
cher: Dear and emotionally close to someone's heart.

Definition in French

Qui est aimé avec tendresse, en particulier une personne pour qui l'on éprouve un profond attachement.

Word origin

Bien-aimé combines bien with aimé, the past participle of aimer, which comes from Latin amare, and denotes someone especially loved.

Usage tips

  • Bien-aimé has a literary or poetic tone, while mon amour and mon chéri are usually more natural in intimate everyday speech.

Other meanings

  • loved onenoun

Opposites

  • mal-aiméunlovedadjective
  • détestéhatedadjective

Word lists with this word