limerence

English

Alternative forms

• limerance

Etymology

From arbitrary first element +‎ -ence. Coined by Dorothy Tennov.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪməɹəns/

Noun

limerence (countable and uncountable, plural limerences)

1. (psychology) An involuntary romantic infatuation with another person, especially combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated. [from 20th c.]
   • 1977, Dorothy Tennov, The Observer, 11 Sep:

     I first used the term ‘amorance’ then changed it back to ‘limerence’ […]. It has no roots whatsoever. It looks nice. It works well in French. Take it from me it has no etymology whatsoever.

   • 2003, Andrew G Marshall, The Observer, 14 Dec 2003:

     When someone is under the spell of limerence, not even being rejected dampens down the madness.

   • 2010, Alyson Schafer, Breaking the Good mom Myth:

     But limerence, lovely as it feels, is a time-limited event—it lasts about five years for most couples.

Synonyms

• infatuation

Antonyms

• nonlimerence

Related terms

• limerent
• nonlimerent

Translations

state of mind

• Danish: forelskelse (da)
• Dutch: verliefd (nl)
• Esperanto: enamiĝinteco
• German: Verliebtheit (de) f, Limerenz f
• Italian: limerence, ultrattaccamento
• Korean: 리머런스 (rimeoreonseu)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: limerence (pt) f, enfatuação f
• Russian: влюблённость (ru) (vljubljonnostʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian: zaljubljenost (sh)
• Spanish: limerencia (es), infatuación (es)
• Swedish: förälskelse (sv) c

See also

• crush

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Portuguese

Noun

limerence f (plural limerences)

1. (psychology, rare) limerence (state of mind caused by a romantic attraction)

Synonyms

• enfatuação