1. Held dear
   "his loved companion of many years"

1. Have a great affection or liking for
   "I love French food"; "She loves her boss and works hard for him"
    
2. Be enamoured or in love with
   "She loves her husband deeply"
    
3. Derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
   "I love cooking";
   - enjoy, bask, relish, savor [US], savour [Brit, Cdn]
    
4. Have sexual intercourse
   "they loved in the back of the car"; "they made love in the back of the car";
   - sleep together, make love, sleep with, have sex, know [archaic], do it [informal], be intimate, have intercourse, lie with [archaic], bed [informal], get it on [informal]

See also: admired, adored, beloved, best-loved, blue-eyed, cherished, darling, dear, fair-haired, fave [informal], favored [US], favorite [US], favoured [Brit, Cdn], favourite [Brit, Cdn], idolised [Brit], idolized, pet, precious, preferent, preferred, treasured, wanted, white-haired, worshiped [US], worshipped

Type of: copulate, couple, experience, feel, like, mate, pair

Antonym: detest, unloved

Encyclopedia: Loved