carus, cara

(Latin: beloved, loved; dearly, dear; high-priced, costly; valued)

From Latin carus (masculine), cara (feminine), carum (neuter)

caress (s) (noun), caresses (pl)
1. A gentle affectionate stroking.
2. Etymology: from Latin carus, "dear".
caress (verb), caresses; caressed; caressing
1. To touch or to stroke lightly in an affectionate or loving manner.
2. To treat fondly, kindly, or favorably; to cherish.
3. To move gently: The soft music caressed the ears of the audience.
caresser (s) (noun), caressers (pl)
Someone who has a gentle touch or embrace to show his or her affection.
caressingly (adverb), more caressingly, most caressingly
Characteristic of touching or stroking lightly in a loving or endearing manner.
caressive (adjective), more caressive, most caressive
1. Pertaining to love and devotion.
2. Of the nature of affecting someone in a soothing or pleasant way: Shirley spoke caressive words as her husband lay ill in the hospital bed.
3. Characterized by or given to pleasantness: A caressive breeze blew gently during the evening.
caressively (adverb), more caressively, most caressively
Characteristic of showing love and understanding for something or someone.
caritas (s) (noun) (usually no plural)
Love, charity.

The Romans considered caritas originally to mean "dearness" or "high price". Carus, meaning "dear", is also said to be an etymological ancestor of the word "whore".

When Cicero wrote of a year in which the cost of living was high, he used the phrase annonae (crops) caritas.

Eventually caritas designated another kind of dearness, the highest love or fellowship—charity as we now know it in the sense conveyed in I Corinthians 12:13: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love)."

charitable (adjective), more charitable, most charitable
1. A reference to someone who is mild or tolerant in judging others: Mary is such a charitable person who always speaks kindly of her neighbors.
2. Showing or motivated by sympathy, understanding, and generosity: Lynn's father did many charitable things, including creating a garden for the blind and teaching disabled persons.
3. Characteristic of expressing love and generosity for others: When walking down the street in town, Grace always showed her charitable personality by giving some money to the poor person sitting on the sidewalk.
4. Conveying a generosity in contributions or gifts to relieve the needs of indigent, ill, or helpless people and animals: Tom always provided charitable donations to deprived, destitute or penniless persons.
charitableness (s) (noun), charitablenesses (pl)
1. Generosity as manifested by practicing charity; for example, the poor or unfortunate.
2. Generous in giving money or other help to the needy.
3. Mild or tolerant in judging others; lenient.
charitably (adverb), more charitably, most charitably
Referring to how a person helps others in a kind and benevolent way: Mrs. Smith always donated money charitably to the relief organisations in her town.
charity (s) (noun), charities (pl)
1. An activity or gift that benefits the public at large.
2. Generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless.
3. Benevolent feeling; especially, toward those in need or in disfavor.
4. A kindly and lenient attitude toward all people.
5. An organization which collects money and other voluntary contributions of help for people in need.
6. The voluntary provision of money, materials, or help for people in need.
7. Money, materials, or help voluntarily given to people in need.
8. The willingness to judge people in a tolerant or favorable way.
9. The impartial love of other people, especially as a Christian virtue.
10. Etymology: "benevolence for the poor", from Old French charite, from Latin caritas, caritatem, "costliness, esteem, affection" (in Vulgate often used as translation of Greek agape, "love"; especially Christian love of fellow mankind, perhaps to avoid the sexual suggestion of Latin amor); from carus, "dear, valued".
cherish (verb), cherishes; cherished; cherishing
1. To feel or to show great love or care for someone.
2. To value something such as a right, freedom, or privilege highly.
3. To retain a memory or wish in the mind of a source of pleasure or as an ambition.
4. To hold or to treat something, or someone, as dear; to feel love for.
5. To care for tenderly; to nurture: The mother and father could only cherish their son despite his physical handicaps.
6. To bring the pleasure of love or caring about someone, or something, which is important.
cherishable (adjective), more cherishable, most cherishable
Something, or someone, having the characteristics of attracting love and affection: The little doll that Mary got for Christmas was such a cherishable present that she always had it by her side, day and night!
cherished (adjective), more cherished, most cherished
1. Treated with tenderness; warmed; comforted; fostered.
2. That which has memories or ideas in the mind because it is important and brings pleasure.
cherisher (s) (noun), cherishers (pl)
Someone who is an encourager; a supporter.