Meaning
Beloved, dear friend; an affectionate term for the loved one.
Literally: beloved, dear one
Usage & notes
Habib is the beloved in its most affectionate Arabic-rooted form — the dear one held close to the heart, warmer and more reverent than the cooler mashooq. In Islamic devotion Habib is a title of the Prophet (Habib-Allah, the beloved of God), so the word carries a sacred tenderness. To call someone habib is to name them not as a distant idol but as the cherished intimate of one's deepest love.