Dear John

noun

-ˈjän How to pronounce Dear John (audio)
: a letter (as to a soldier) in which a spouse or partner asks for a divorce or a partner breaks off an engagement or a friendship

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dear John was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near Dear John

Dearborn Heights

Dear John

dearling

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Cite this Entry

“Dear John.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dear%20John. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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