חביב

From the root ח־ב־ב‎ (kh-v-v). Compare Arabic حبيب‎. Noun derived from the adjective. Compare חַבִּיבִּי‎ (khabíbi, “friend, mate, buddy”) borrowed from حَبِيبِي‎ (ḥabībī).

חָבִיב • (khavív) (feminine חֲבִיבָה‎, masculine plural חֲבִיבִים‎, feminine plural חֲבִיבוֹת‎) [pattern: קָטִיל]

1. friendly, pleasant, likeable
2. liked by
3. darling
4. (Talmudic) beloved, important
   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Menachot 18a:

     ‏זָלְגוּ עֵינָיו דְּמָעוֹת שֶׁל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן שַׁמּוּעַ אָמַר אַשְׁרֵיכֶם תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה חֲבִיבִין עֲלֵיכֶם בְּיוֹתֵר‎‎

     The eyes of Rabbi Eleazar ben Shammua trickled with tears and he said, “Happy are you, learned men, to whom the words of the Torah are most beloved!”

חָבִיב • (khavív) m (plural indefinite חֲבִיבִים‎, plural construct חֲבִיבֵי־‎, feminine counterpart חֲבִיבָה‎) [pattern: קָטִיל]

1. darling