A feeling of love or affection; deep fondness or esteem for someone.
From Latin dilectio (love, esteem), related to diligere (to love, esteem). An archaic or poetic term for love or affection.
This beautiful old word appears in medieval religious texts and romantic poetry, but we abandoned it for 'love' or 'affection'—language naturally trims its vocabulary down over time!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.