Meaning of ‘Apple of My Eye’
The phrase ‘apple of my eye’ means that someone or something is greatly loved or cherished. It typically expresses affection towards a person, bringing attention to the fact they’re highly valued.
Example: I care about all of my cats, but there’s one in particular that is the apple of my eye. He gets special attention because of his ongoing health problems. Yes, despite his sickness, he’s the cat I treasure most.
Similar Phrases: cherish, hold dear, the light of one’s life, treasure
Related Idioms:
Want to explore more idioms that begin with the letter A? Check out our Idioms Starting With A page for a list of them.
Origin of ‘Apple Of My Eye’
Where does this idiom come from? Today, the meaning ‘apple of my eye’ has to do with cherishing someone or holding something dear. However, a long time ago, this everyday expression actually referred to a part of the body. Apparently, there was a time when the ‘apple’ in this phrase referred to the ‘pupil’ of the eye.
The earliest known appearance of this idiom is said to be from a work by King Alfred of Wessex called Gregory’s Pastoral Care, completed around 880 C.E.
Besides that, this expression appears in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, written in 1595/96:
OBERON
Flower of this purple dye,
Hit with Cupid’s archery,
Sink in apple of his eye.
In conclusion, if this phrase does go back to the 9th century, that means its origin is over 1100 years old. Otherwise, the Shakespearean play from the 16th century would make it at least 425 years old. Either way you slice it, this phrase has been around for a long time. While plenty of phrases enter and exit a language in that amount of time, this one has stuck around and remains in common use.
Example Sentences
Let’s go over some usage cases for the phrase ‘apple of my eye.’
Example Sentences:
1. The little puppy is the apple of my eye, always following me around wherever I go.
2. Ever since they got married, it’s clear that his wife is the apple of his eye.
3. To her parents, she is the apple of their eye, bringing them joy every day.
Example Sentences That Use Similar Idioms:
1. Those kids are the light of his life, I’m not sure what he would do without them.
2. She cherishes the time she spends with her family.
3. These old photos I have of my daughter are something I hold dear to my heart.
See Also:
Beauty Is In The Eye of The Beholder
Here is another popular idiom that has to do with the human eye, but what does it mean? Find out more about this expression and see where it comes from.