chère

Chère is the feminine singular form of the French adjective cher, used to convey the senses of dear, beloved, or expensive, depending on context. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; masculine singular is cher, masculine plural chers, and feminine plural chères.

Etymology for cher traces back to Latin carus, meaning dear or costly. In French, the adjective has long carried both affective and evaluative meanings, allowing it to describe people, objects, or abstract concepts as valued or expensive.

In ordinary description, chère describes a feminine noun: une robe chère (an expensive dress) or une amie chère (a dear friend). It can also express affection in terms of endearment, as in ma chère amie or ma chère, used in informal or formal addresses.

In correspondence and spoken address, chère often functions as a term of address. Common salutations include Chère Madame, Chère Mademoiselle, or Chère Monsieur in letters, followed by a comma. The form ma chère is a more intimate variant used between close acquaintances or family.

In translation, chères and chères amies translate as dear friends, while chère can translate as expensive or dear depending on the noun it accompanies. The masculine form cher is used when addressing or describing a masculine subject, and the plural forms differ accordingly.

Chère thus functions as a flexible, gendered adjective in French, conveying affection or value and serving as a conventional element in formal and informal address.