liefling

plural lieflings

1. South AfricaOne held as lief or dear; a darling.

   'Really, liefling?' she says. Tell me what happened.'

   1998, Leon Schuster, Leon Schuster's Lekker, Thick South African Joke Book - Page 271

   4 more examples

   "Listen, liefling, this has got nothing to do with them," he said. I shook my head. " It's not that, Riaan... it's Peter.

   2001, Charl Fregona, The waiting place

   There was another word she called him sometimes; it had a funny sound to it, liefling. In truth she knew well that it meant 'darling'. She casually told him it meant 'dreamer'. He would remember those magical, special words, always.

   2006, Michelle Bowers, Outstanding Justice

   Ma gives a long-suffering sigh. It's all my fault. You're paranoid, Stella. No—YOU'RE paranoid! Stop! Simon's cracking, broken voice rises up above the fray. Johannes is whispering into Marietjie's ear, My liefling.

   2007, Anne Landsman, The Rowing Lesson

   She simply dropped her face onto his chest and hugged him tight. Is this feeling running through my body, the feeling of . . . true love? “Kom, my liefling, we should hike first up the mountain—where we can talk.”

   2012, Kenn Joubert, The Early Years