愛おしい

Etymology
From “to detest, to loathe, to hate”, from an underlying idea of causing mental anguish. The sense developed from the way that missing someone or something can cause mental anguish, giving rise to the modern meaning of.

Adjective

 * 1) lovely, precious, sweet, adorable
 * 2) piteous, pathetic
 * 1) piteous, pathetic

Derived terms

 * adorable, dear, precious