lovie

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformalBritish

   A friendly, affectionate word used to address someone, especially a woman or child, as in love or dear.

   Grammar: Used as a form of address: thanks, lovie.

   Patterns

   • thanks, lovie
   • come here, lovie

   Here's your tea, lovie, and mind it's hot.

   Don't worry, lovie, we'll sort it out together.

   The cafe owner greeted every customer with a cheerful, hello, lovie.

2. 2nouncountableinformalhumorousdisapproving

   An actor or other person in the theater, used in a teasing way for someone who is too dramatic or affected.

   Grammar: Usually plural in this meaning: the lovies from the theater.

   Patterns

   • a group of lovies

   The newspaper made fun of a table of lovies at the awards party.

   He was teased for his lovie ways after the school play.

   A few lovies from the cast stayed late to hug everyone goodbye.

Word forms

Common combinations

thanks, lovie

Thanks, lovie, that was very kind.

all right, lovie

All right, lovie? Can I help you with the bags?

there you go, lovie

There you go, lovie, your change.

call someone lovie

She calls all her grandchildren lovie.

Synonyms and how they differ

love

Love is the more common British term of address and sounds a little less cozy and childlike than lovie.

duck

Duck is a regional term of address used in central England and has a similar warm tone.

darling

Darling is stronger and used more between close family, partners or friends, whereas lovie is a casual friendly term.

pet

Pet is a regional northern English term of endearment with a similar gentle tone.

Word family

love noun

a person or term of affection

lovey noun

a variant spelling of lovie

lovely adjective

very pleasant or attractive

Commonly confused: lovie or lovey-dovey?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “lovie”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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