amorous

English

Alternative forms

• amourous

Etymology

(14th century) From Old French amoros, amoreus, from Medieval Latin amōrōsus, from Latin amor (“love”), related to Latin amāre (“to love”). Compare French amoureux (“in love”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ.mɹəs/, /ˈæ.mə.ɹəs/

Adjective

amorous (comparative more amorous, superlative most amorous)

1. Inclined or having a propensity to love, or to sexual enjoyment.

   an amorous disposition

   We were both feeling amorous so the inevitable happened.

   • 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter V, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 24962326:

     Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.

2. Indicating love or sexual desire.

   She kept making these amorous suggestions.

3. Of or relating to, or produced by, love.

   She read me an amorous poem.

4. (dated) Affected with love; in love; enamored.

   He had been amorous of her since schooldays.

Synonyms

• (inclined or having a propensity to love): loving; fond; affectionate

Derived terms

• amorously

Related terms

• amour

Translations

inclined to love

• Catalan: amorós (ca)
• Dutch: amoureus (nl)
• Esperanto: amema, amorema
• Finnish: lemmenkipeä
• French: amoureux (fr)
• German: amourös (de), verliebt (de)
• Greek: ερωτόληπτος (el) m (erotóliptos)

• Italian: amoroso (it) m, amorosa f
• Portuguese: amoroso (pt)
• Romanian: amoros (ro) m
• Russian: влю́бчивый (ru) (vljúbčivyj)
• Spanish: amoroso (es) m, cariñoso (es) m
• Telugu: కాముకము (te) (kāmukamu)
• Turkish: aşık (tr) pl

indicating love or sexual desire

• Catalan: amorós (ca)
• French: amoureux (fr)
• German: anzüglich (de), erotisch (de), amourös (de), verliebt (de)
• Greek: ερωτικός (el) m (erotikós)

• Portuguese: amoroso (pt)
• Russian: любо́вный (ru) (ljubóvnyj), аму́рный (ru) (amúrnyj)
• Spanish: amoroso (es)

of or relating to, or produced by, love

• Catalan: amorós (ca)
• Dutch: amoureuze (nl)
• French: amoureux (fr)
• German: Liebes-, amourös (de), liebschaftlich

• Greek: ερωτικός (el) m (erotikós)
• Portuguese: amoroso (pt)
• Romanian: amoros (ro) m, de amor
• Russian: любо́вный (ru) (ljubóvnyj)

affected with love

• Dutch: verliefd (nl)
• French: amoureux (fr)
• German: verliebt (de)
• Greek: ερωτευμένος (el) m (erotevménos)

• Portuguese: enamorado (pt)
• Romanian: amorezat (ro) m, înamorat (ro) m
• Russian: влюблённый (ru) (vljubljónnyj), очаро́ванный (ru) (očaróvannyj) (charmed), без ума́ (ru) (bez umá) (crazy, out of mind), в восто́рге (ru) (v vostórge) (delighted)
• Spanish: enamorado (es)

References

• amorous in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• amorous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913