Adorables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Referring to entities or persons that evoke feelings of delight and affection due to their charming or endearing qualities
2. Characterizing beings or objects that inspire warmth and fondness through their sweet or appealing nature
3. Describing those who possess an attractive and lovable demeanor that naturally attracts positive emotional responses

Etymology: "Adorables" is the informal plural of "adorable," a word that has come down from Latin through French. Its ancestor, Latin "adorabilis," was built from "adorare," meaning "to pray to" or "to worship," with the prefix "ad-" ("toward") and "orare" ("to pray" or "to plead"). The Latin word itself meant "worthy of worship," so the sense of being fit for reverent devotion was there from the start. French took the term as "adorable," and English borrowed it from there. Over time the strong religious charge faded, and the word came to describe something merely delightful or charming, which is how a person's appeal can make them "adorables" in everyday speech. English speakers still feel the old link to "adore," since the word looks like "adore" plus "-able," even though the underlying Latin structure is what gives it its shape.

Synonyms: cuties, sweethearts, darlings, cherubs, lovelies

Antonyms: uglies, monsters