Meaning
A romantic partner or object of affection. While it mirrors the English word, in Jamaica 'sweetheart' often carries the particular sense of a lover or the person one is courting on the side, sometimes outside of marriage — a kept lover or an extra partner rather than a spouse. So a man's or woman's 'sweetheart' may be their secret or acknowledged lover, and the word runs through the frank Jamaican talk of romance, faithfulness, and the tangled affairs of the heart.
Examples
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Mi a go link up mi sweetheart lata.
I am going to meet up with my sweetheart later.
'A go' marks intention (going to); 'link up' means to meet.
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She a him sweetheart from dem deh a school.
She has been his sweetheart since they were in school.
'From dem deh a school' means since they were at school.
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No badda mi, mi have mi own sweetheart already.
Don't bother me, I already have my own sweetheart.
Used to turn down unwanted romantic attention.
Origin
Directly from English 'sweetheart', pronounced with the common Patois dropping of the initial 'h' in 'heart', giving 'sweet-aat'.
How it’s used
Everyday and widely understood. In some contexts it hints at a lover on the side, so tone and situation determine whether it means a spouse or a discreet partner. Generally warm and non-vulgar.