# What does ‘the apple of your eye’ mean?

To “the apple of your eye” means to someone cherished above all others. The phrase appears in the Bible (Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8). Brewer's lists it as a biblical phrase in common English use, originally referring to the pupil of the eye — the most delicate spot.

## What it means

- The phrase appears in the Bible (Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8). Brewer's lists it as a biblical phrase in common English use, originally referring to the pupil of the eye — the most delicate spot.

## Action steps

1. A very old term of endearment.
2. Example: His granddaughter is the apple of his eye.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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