Generally, the term you're describing is called a term of endearment, or a way to affectionately refer to a person you hold dear. There are many of them, from shortened names (Bess for Elizabeth) to animals (bunny) or sweet things (honey, sugar) to adjectives (beautiful, gorgeous).

The most important person is more specific. Your criterion suggests there is only one who is above all others. If you're trying to find a companion term (pun intended), you have a few options:

Soulmate or soul mate, as mentioned by another answer, suggests an ideal fit between two people who connect not merely physically but soul-deep. Oxford English Dictionary, "soulmate, n.":

A person who shares a deep understanding or bond with another; esp. one ideally suited to another as a lover or spouse.

According to Merriam-Webster, Samuel Taylor Coleridge is said to have invented the word in an 1822 letter to a young lady, where he says:

To be happy in Marriage Life, nay … in order not to be miserable, you must have a Soul-mate as well as a House or a Yoke-mate…


If you could go for a phrase, the love of my life is a common collocation for someone most dear to someone else. Even beyond the Queen song, the phrase has had wide currency from the 19th century onward. For example, here is an excerpt from "Only A Flirtation." Salem Observer, vol. XL, no. 10, 8 Mar. 1862, p. 1, as found in ReadEx's America's Historical Newspapers database:

Day after day the love, the one love of my life, grew into my heart, absorbing me to the exclusion of all else.

Similar phrases extend back to Middle English, including lef lif (dear life) from the Middle English Sir Orfeo:

O lef liif, what is te,

That ever yete hast ben so stille

And now gredest wonder schille?

(O dear life, what is with you, who ever yet have been so calm, and now cry strangely shrill?)


Finally, English has a habit of borrowing terms of endearment from other languages. Ma chérie and mon amie both come from French; inamorata comes from Italian; there are many nonce uses based on users' language backgrounds. Lebensmensch is a coinage from the author Thomas Bernhard, and the book Thomas Bernhard by Gitta Honegger uses the word as-is when explaining it:

While Frau Stavianicek remained Auntie to the world, in his books Bernhard coined the term Lebensmensch for her importance in his life. A simple enough compound of "life" and "person," it conveys so much more than its idiomatic English equivalent, "companion," used and elaborated as "life support" by the British translator of Wittgenstein's Nephew. (p. 59)

Why not just use lebensmensch, treating the sentiment behind it as effectively untranslatable? You can also translate it literally, accepting that it's a metaphor, as life support or (as just suggested in a comment by AndrewL64) lifeline?

Answer from TaliesinMerlin on Stack Exchange
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Thesaurus.com
thesaurus.com › browse › important-person
IMPORTANT PERSON Synonyms & Antonyms - 44 words | Thesaurus.com
Find 44 different ways to say IMPORTANT PERSON, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
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Power Thesaurus
powerthesaurus.org › you_are_the_most_important_person_in_my_life › synonyms
YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN MY LIFE Synonyms: 33 Similar Phrases
Find 33 synonyms for You Are The Most Important Person In My Life to improve your writing and expand your vocabulary.
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Generally, the term you're describing is called a term of endearment, or a way to affectionately refer to a person you hold dear. There are many of them, from shortened names (Bess for Elizabeth) to animals (bunny) or sweet things (honey, sugar) to adjectives (beautiful, gorgeous).

The most important person is more specific. Your criterion suggests there is only one who is above all others. If you're trying to find a companion term (pun intended), you have a few options:

Soulmate or soul mate, as mentioned by another answer, suggests an ideal fit between two people who connect not merely physically but soul-deep. Oxford English Dictionary, "soulmate, n.":

A person who shares a deep understanding or bond with another; esp. one ideally suited to another as a lover or spouse.

According to Merriam-Webster, Samuel Taylor Coleridge is said to have invented the word in an 1822 letter to a young lady, where he says:

To be happy in Marriage Life, nay … in order not to be miserable, you must have a Soul-mate as well as a House or a Yoke-mate…


If you could go for a phrase, the love of my life is a common collocation for someone most dear to someone else. Even beyond the Queen song, the phrase has had wide currency from the 19th century onward. For example, here is an excerpt from "Only A Flirtation." Salem Observer, vol. XL, no. 10, 8 Mar. 1862, p. 1, as found in ReadEx's America's Historical Newspapers database:

Day after day the love, the one love of my life, grew into my heart, absorbing me to the exclusion of all else.

Similar phrases extend back to Middle English, including lef lif (dear life) from the Middle English Sir Orfeo:

O lef liif, what is te,

That ever yete hast ben so stille

And now gredest wonder schille?

(O dear life, what is with you, who ever yet have been so calm, and now cry strangely shrill?)


Finally, English has a habit of borrowing terms of endearment from other languages. Ma chérie and mon amie both come from French; inamorata comes from Italian; there are many nonce uses based on users' language backgrounds. Lebensmensch is a coinage from the author Thomas Bernhard, and the book Thomas Bernhard by Gitta Honegger uses the word as-is when explaining it:

While Frau Stavianicek remained Auntie to the world, in his books Bernhard coined the term Lebensmensch for her importance in his life. A simple enough compound of "life" and "person," it conveys so much more than its idiomatic English equivalent, "companion," used and elaborated as "life support" by the British translator of Wittgenstein's Nephew. (p. 59)

Why not just use lebensmensch, treating the sentiment behind it as effectively untranslatable? You can also translate it literally, accepting that it's a metaphor, as life support or (as just suggested in a comment by AndrewL64) lifeline?

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Quora
quora.com › How-would-you-describe-the-most-important-person-in-your-life-in-just-one-word
How would you describe the most important person in your life in just one word? - Quora
Answer (1 of 22): First I have to work on how your question is phrased to clean up your grammar. The question should read like this: “How do I describe the most important person in my life with just one word?” Ok, using just one word is tricky, at least for me, but here is my suggestion: “Bel...
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Thesaurus.com
thesaurus.com › browse › very-important-person
34 Synonyms & Antonyms for VERY IMPORTANT PERSON | Thesaurus.com
Find 34 different ways to say VERY IMPORTANT PERSON, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
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WordHippo
wordhippo.com › what-is › another-word-for › important_person.html
What is another word for "important person"?
Synonyms for important person include leader, kingpin, linchpin, superstar, ace, principal, key player, leading light, top dog and head honcho. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
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Bartleby
bartleby.com › essay › The-Most-Important-Person-In-My-Life-PAKF8FBWR
The Most Important Person In My Life - 994 Words | Bartleby
According to her I was wrapped around two blankets when she first saw me. She’d made fun of how small I was. Ever since we met our bond is unbreakable. Nana is spiritual,wise, and understanding and I choose these qualities to describe her because these are what makes her amazing and makes her who she is.
Find elsewhere
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WordHippo
wordhippo.com › what-is › another-word-for › very_important_person.html
What is another word for "very important person"?
Synonyms for very important person include big deal, biggie, bigwig, boss, hotshot, tycoon, VIP, big cheese, big enchilada and big fish. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
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Quora
quora.com › How-would-you-describe-someone-important-to-you
How would you describe someone important to you? - Quora
The most important person in my life is my family undoubtedly They are the one why we came into this world and they are the reason for our living they made us stand on our own feet and learn each day something new they taught us right and wrong ...
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Guideposttherapy
guideposttherapy.com › blog › the-most-important-person-in-your-life
Loving The Most Important Person In Your Life
November 15, 2024 - Before I go any further, let me enhance my statement even more: You are the single most important thing in your life.
Address   150 E. Cypress Ave, Suite 200A Redding, CA, 96002 United States
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Internet Public Library
ipl.org › essay › The-Most-Important-Person-In-My-Life-F3PS6WHEAJF6
The Most Important Person In My Life | ipl.org
The Important people in your life can have a massive effect on your life and how you will live it. When I think of an important person in my life, my mind...
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Synonym.com
synonym.com › synonyms › very important person
Another word for VERY IMPORTANT PERSON > Synonyms & Antonyms
Similar words for Very Important Person. Definition: adjective. of the greatest importance.
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Synonym.com
synonym.com › synonyms › important person
Another word for IMPORTANT PERSON > Synonyms & Antonyms
Similar words for Important Person. Definition: adjective. impressive in appearance.
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Tim Elmore
timelmore.com › articles › the-most-influential-person-in-your-life
The Most Influential Person in Your Life — Tim Elmore
October 15, 2024 - It really is true. No one talks to you more than you do. Choose your words intentionally.
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Jennyevans
jennyevans.com › blog › who-is-the-most-important-person-in-your-life
Who is the most important person in your life?
And when I said this to the group, heads went down, pens were going. And I think a lot of them were really surprised to hear this. But you are the most important person in your life because if you're not prioritizing you, you feel like a giant turd and a turd is not what your family wants.
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Thesaurus.com
thesaurus.com › browse › influential-person
INFLUENTIAL PERSON Synonyms & Antonyms - 35 words | Thesaurus.com
VIP big cat big cheese big fish big gun big man on campus big shot bigwig dignitary fat cat head honcho heavy-hitter high-muck-a-muck important person mogul nabob notable somebody
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Vocabulary.com
vocabulary.com › dictionary › important person
Important person - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
a title used to address dignitaries (such as ambassadors or governors); usually preceded by `Your' or `His' or `Her' ... someone who intervenes with authorities for a person in trouble (usually using underhand or illegal methods for a fee) ... DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘important person'.