Beloved vs Loved: Difference and Comparison

The word beloved is derived from the Latin word ‘belle’ and is defined as; someone who the person loves much and is very fond of.

The word loved one is derived from the Latin word ‘lovus’ and is defined as; someone the person loves much and who is very fond of.

Key Takeaways

1. “Beloved” is an adjective or noun used to describe someone dearly loved or cherished, implying a deep emotional connection, while “loved” is a simpler adjective indicating a person is the recipient of love.
2. The term “beloved” can convey a more intense or passionate form of love, whereas “loved” is a more general term that can apply to various degrees of affection and care.
3. In literature and poetry, the word “beloved” is used to emphasize the depth of emotion between characters, while “loved” can be used in a wider range of contexts, including family relationships, friendships, and romantic partnerships.

Beloved vs Loved

“Beloved” conveys a stronger and more enduring sense of love, implying and suggesting that the object of affection is highly cherished or valued. “Loved”, while also expressing affection, is more commonly used to describe a feeling or state of being rather than an object of affection.

“Beloved” is how we define those people that we truly love and care for. The feeling is positive, yet it’s tinged with a great amount of emotion.

For example, when people talk about “the man that I love,” the word “beloved” applies.

The word “loved” comes from the Latin root “ludere,” which means “to play.” The same meaning is conveyed when we say that someone is “having fun.”

This suggests that love is when you’re having fun. The word “loved” is synonymous with loved and fun.

Comparison Table

Parameters of comparison	Beloved	Loved
Definition	A person is admired for his or her virtues, accomplishments, talents, or character.	“A person who you love and admire” who “is dear to you; whom you love; a person who is your favourite person” or a person that we truly love and care for.
Books	” Beloved” is a great book by Marilynne Robinson. This is a book that explores the difference between the two characters, and the reason he could not love his beloved as she deserved.	“Loved” is a great book by John Green. Green explores the difference between the two characters and the reason she could not love him as he deserved.
Example sentence	I would have loved to stay alive, but I knew I wasn’t going to make it. I’m not even a good example of a Beloved, you see.	He was the one person that I could truly let myself be vulnerable. He was my best friend, and I loved him with all of my secrets.
Parts of speech	Loved is a verb. It means that someone or something, either a person, place or thing, is a source of joy, pleasure or delight	Noun, feminine, a person or thing that we love and are devoted to, such as a child, a person, a place, a thing, a work of art, or an idea.
Synonyms	Cherished, darling, dear, fond, precious	Admired, esteemed, relished, prized, treasured.

What is Beloved?

The concept of ‘beloved’ is to have affection and regard for something or someone. It’s a deep desire to care for something or someone.

The ‘beloved’ is someone or something that someone truly values.

The term beloved originated in the late 14th century. The term was originally used to describe God and later became used about any person or thing that is highly loved. The term “beloved” was also used to describe the person that God favoured.

When we speak about beloved things, we speak about things that we find desirable, interesting, and even exciting.

We speak about things that we find pleasant to look at, or that we find interesting intellectually, or that we find desirable for our own sake.

Things that have a certain beauty or that we find attractive and that we find desirable because we like them, find value in them, find joy in them.

A beloved has given you a lot. They may have given you a lot of love, and a place to stay, and they may have been a great parent, a brother or sister, or a friend.

Someone you care about and someone who cares about you. A beloved person is someone who has given you something that makes you feel unique.

What is Loved?

Loved’ is a term that is used in psychoanalysis. It is a term used to describe a person’s feelings when they think about someone else.

It is used to define how much a person loves, desires and wants to protect the beloved.

It oftentimes feels as though everyone and everything are loving us. Yet, the more we can examine what it means to be ‘loved’, the more we can determine what is truly ‘beloved’.

A loved one is someone you care about and want to be with. They are someone who is important to you and that you care for.

You may not always like what they do or say, but you accept it because they are important to you. You care for them and are willing to forgive and move on.

Main Differences Between Beloved and Loved

1. Beloved and loved is that Beloved is a term used to describe one’s spouse, while the term Loved is used to describe people who are considered as one’s friends.
2. Beloved and loved is that most of your peers will agree with what you think and feel about something. Whereas when you are loved, there is no one else involved in the decision-making, you are the only one who will be affected if you do or don’t do something.
3. Beloved and loved is that beloved means to hold a special or dear someone, and loved means to cherish someone.
4. The Beloved feels an intense love towards the Loved, while the Loved feels a strong sense of devotion, admiration and respect for the Beloved, as well as the knowledge that the Beloved will always have his/her back.
5. Beloved and loved is in the way we live and treat each other. The beloved is the one that you love and care for, whereas the loved, on the other hand, is the one you’re obsessed with, and you don’t care for them the way you care for the beloved.

References

1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3185546
2. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3300729

Last Updated : 26 July, 2023