c. 1300, past-participle adjective from love (v.). Loved ones "friends and relations" (especially those deceased) is by 1793, earlier often beloved ones.
Entries linking to loved
love v.
Old English lufian "to feel love for, cherish, show love to; delight in, approve," from Proto-Germanic *lubojanan (source also of Old High German lubon, German lieben), a verb from the root of love (n.). Weakened sense of "like" attested by c. 1200. Intransitive sense "be in love, have a passionate attachment" is from mid-13c. To love (someone) up "make out with" is from 1921. To love and leave is from 1885.