From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
darling
adj 1: dearly loved [syn: beloved, darling, dear]
n 1: a special loved one [syn: darling, favorite,
favourite, pet, dearie, deary, ducky]
2: an Australian river; tributary of the Murray River [syn:
Darling, Darling River]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
darling \dar"ling\, n. [OE. derling, deorling, AS. de['o]rling;
de['o]re dear + -ling. See Dear, and -ling.]
One dearly beloved; a favorite.
[1913 Webster]
And can do naught but wail her darling's loss. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
darling \dar"ling\, a.
Dearly beloved; regarded with especial kindness and
tenderness; favorite. "Some darling science." --I. Watts.
"Darling sin." --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]