Romantic
/roʊˈmæn.tɪk/noun
Relating to love, idealized feeling, or the artistic movement that emphasized emotion and imagination.
Did you know?In its earliest English use, romantic meant something like “in the style of romances” — the old adventure tales of chivalry, wonder, and emotional excess, long before it narrowed to love.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Rome
Latin
Romanicus
“Roman; of Rome”
Old French
OF
romanz
“A vernacular language or a tale written in that language”
Middle English
English
romant
“A tale of chivalry, adventure, or marvelous events”
17th Century
English
romantic
“Pertaining to the imaginative, fanciful style of romances”
18th–19th Century
English
romantic
“Marked by emotion, idealism, and the Romantic movement”
Modern English
English
romantic
“Relating to love, affection, or idealized feeling”
Explore more surprising origins