View synonyms for apple of one's eye

apple of one's eye

[ ap-uhl uhv wuhnz ahy ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

something or someone very precious or dear:
His new baby girl was the apple of his eye.

apple of one's eye

The favorite object of a person's love or affection: “Linda was fond of all the horses on the ranch, but the little palomino was the apple of her eye.”

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of apple of one's eye¹

First recorded before 900; Old English æppel “apple,” also used to translate Latin pupillam oculī “pupil of the eye” (Psalm 18:8 of the Vulgate), figuratively extended to something or someone precious

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Special favorite, beloved person or thing, as in The youngest was the apple of his father's eye . This term, which rests on the ancients' idea that the eye's pupil is apple-shaped and that eyes are particularly precious, appears in the Bible (Deuteronomy 32:10). [Early 1600s]

Word of the Day

April 25, 2024firkin

[fur-kin ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse