Amatory
/ˈæm.ə.tɔːr.i/noun
Relating to love or sexual desire.
Did you know?*Amatory* comes from Latin *amatorius*, “pertaining to a lover,” ultimately from *amare* (“to love”), the same root behind *amiable*, *amicable*, and *enemy*—because in ancient language, love and social bonds were deeply intertwined.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*am-
“to love”
Latin
Latin
amare
“to love”
Latin
Latin
amatorius
“pertaining to a lover or love”
Late Latin / Old French
Old French
amatoire
“amatory; relating to love”
16th Century
English
amatory
“relating to love or romance”
Modern English
English
amatory
“relating to love or sexual desire”