apple of someone's eye
English
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apple of someone's eye
- /ˌæpl̩‿əv sʌmwʌnz ˈaɪ/ UK
- /ˌæp(ə)l‿əv sʌmwʌnz ˈaɪ/ US
Rhymes with -aɪ
Where it comes from
PIE word
*h₂ébōl
From Middle English appel of the eie (“pupil of the eye; cornea; (figurative) something highly valued”), from Old English æppel on the ēagan, used in biblical texts (Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2, Lamentations 2:18, and Zechariah 2:8; compare the quotations) to designate the pupil of the eye as something precious to be protected. The use of "apple" in English is apparently due to the pupil or cornea being thought of as a solid, globular object.
noun apples of someone's eye
- The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one. Sara was never the same after losing her daughter, the apple of her eye.
Translations
Every language
noun object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers
| Español | el ojito derecho de alguien, la niña de sus ojos |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 目に入れても痛くないもの me ni iretemo itakunai mono |
| 中文 | 心肝寶貝 /心肝宝贝 xīngān bǎobèi |
| हिन्दी | आँख का तारा ā̃kh kā tārā |
| Português | menina dos olhos |
| Français | prunelle de ses yeux |
| Deutsch | Augapfel |
| Ελληνικά | κόρη οφθαλμού kóri ofthalmoú |
| Română | lumina ochilor |
| Русский | свет оче́й svet očéj, зени́ца о́ка zeníca óka |
| العربية | قُرَّةُ عَيْن qurratu ʕayn |
| עברית | בָּבַת עַיִן bavát 'áyin |
Talk about this word "apple of someone's eye." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20someone's%20eye. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. apple of someone's eye. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20someone's%20eye "apple of someone's eye." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20someone's%20eye.Cite this
@misc{apple_of_someone_s_eye_2026,
title = {apple of someone's eye},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20someone's%20eye},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
