Love Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Definition of love ; (1) · strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties maternal ; (2) · attraction based on sexual desire : affection and ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks JoinMWU MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut love noun SaveWord \ˈləv \ Definitionoflove (Entry1of2) 1a(1) :strongaffectionforanotherarisingoutofkinshiporpersonalties maternalloveforachild (2) :attractionbasedonsexualdesire:affectionandtendernessfeltbylovers Afteralltheseyears,theyarestillverymuchinlove. (3) :affectionbasedonadmiration,benevolence,orcommoninterests loveforhisoldschoolmates b :anassuranceofaffection givehermylove 2 :warmattachment,enthusiasm,ordevotion loveofthesea 3a :theobjectofattachment,devotion,oradmiration baseballwashisfirstlove b(1) :abelovedperson:darling —oftenusedasatermofendearment (2) British —usedasaninformaltermofaddress 4a :unselfishloyalandbenevolent(seebenevolentsense1a)concernforthegoodofanother:suchas (1) :thefatherlyconcernofGodforhumankind (2) :brotherlyconcernforothers b :aperson'sadorationofGod 5 :agod(suchasCupidorEros)orpersonificationoflove 6 :anamorousepisode:loveaffair 7 :thesexualembrace:copulation 8 :ascoreofzero(asintennis) 9 capitalized, ChristianScience :god atlove :holdingone'sopponentscorelessintennis inlove :inspiredbyaffection love verb \ˈləv \ loved;loving Definitionoflove (Entry2of2) transitiveverb 1 :toholddear:cherish 2a :tofeelalover'spassion,devotion,ortendernessfor b(1) :caress (2) :tofondleamorously (3) :tocopulatewith 3 :tolikeordesireactively:takepleasurein lovedtoplaytheviolin 4 :tothrivein theroselovessunlight intransitiveverb :tofeelaffectionorexperiencedesire Synonyms&Antonyms MoreExampleSentences PhrasesContaininglove LearnMoreAboutlove Synonyms&Antonymsforlove Synonyms:Noun affection,attachment,devotedness,devotion,fondness,passionSynonyms:Verb appreciate,cherish,prize,treasure,value Antonyms:Noun abomination,hate,hatred,loathing,rancorAntonyms:Verb disvalue VisittheThesaurusforMore  ExamplesofloveinaSentence Noun Mr.Brownseemstoimplythatwhenheretiredherelinquishedherloveascasuallyashedispensedwithhersecretarialservices. —KenFollett,NewYorkTimesBookReview,27Dec.1987 …EddieseesVince'spureloveofpool,andafteryearsofthinkingofthegameasmerelyahustle,theoldermansuddenlyfallsbackinlovewiththegamehimself. —MaureenDowd,NewYorkTimesMagazine,28Sept.1986 AuntPollykneltdownandprayedforTomsotouchingly,soappealingly,andwithsuchmeasurelessloveinherwordsandheroldtremblingvoice,thathewaswelteringintearsagain,longbeforeshewasthrough. —MarkTwain,TomSawyer,1876 Allworthythusanswered:"…Ihavealwaysthoughtlovetheonlyfoundationofhappinessinamarriedstate,asitcanonlyproducethathighandtenderfriendshipwhichshouldalwaysbethecementofthisunion…" —HenryFielding,TomJones,1749 Childrenneedunconditionallovefromtheirparents. Hewasjustalonelymanlookingforlove. Verb Peoplelovedhimforhisbrashnessandtalent,hiscrazymanglingsoftheEnglishlanguage,hisbrawling,boyishantics…andIlovedhim,too,Ilovedhimasmuchasanyoneintheworld. —PaulAuster,Granta,Winter1994 Lyingawake,listeningtothesoundofhisfather'sbreathing,heknewtherewasnooneintheworldhelovedsomuch. —WilliamMaxwell,NewYorker,15May1989 Iloveeitherrushingoffintoabstractions,orshamelesslytalkingpersonalities. —ElizabethBowen,letter,28Apr.1923 "Nay,"saidElizabeth,"thisisnotfair.Youwishtothinkalltheworldrespectable,andarehurtifIspeakillofanybody.Ionlywanttothinkyouperfect,andyousetyourselfagainstit.Donotbeafraidofmyrunningintoanyexcess,ofmyencroachingonyourprivilegeofuniversalgoodwill.Youneednot.TherearefewpeoplewhomIreallylove,andstillfewerofwhomIthinkwell." —JaneAusten,PrideandPrejudice,1813 Sheobviouslylovesherfamilyverymuch. Youhavetoloveinordertobeloved. Hesworethathelovedhermadly. Shesaidshecouldnevermarryamanshedidn'tlove. SeeMore RecentExamplesontheWeb:Noun FromtheirfirstmeetingonairtoplanningtheirNashvillewedding,here'sabreakdownofKaitlynBristoweandJasonTartick'slovestory. — HolleeActmanBecker,Peoplemag,19Sep.2022 Inthefirstdraft,thefocuswaswasalovestorybetweenAldenandTeresa. — PalakJayswal,TheSaltLakeTribune,18Sep.2022 Thistime,ColmanisinthemixforSamMendes'EmpireofLight,alovestorysetaroundamovietheaterinthe1980sandoneofseveralfilmsthisseasonabouttheMagicoftheMovies. — BrendanMorrow,TheWeek,16Sep.2022 ThefilmfollowstheimprobablelovestoryofCarmen(MelissaBarrera,IntheHeights),aMexicanwomantryingtocrosstheborder,andAiden(PaulMescal,Aftersun),anAmericanveteranstrugglingtoadjusttocivilianlife. — LoviaGyarkye,TheHollywoodReporter,16Sep.2022 Playingofftherichhistoryofcorrespondencebetweenthetwo,thisreimaginedintergenerationallovestorytimetravelsbetweenthenandnowtoexaminequeerness,history,writing,andself-expression. — BostonGlobe.com,15Sep.2022 PettyOfficer2ndClassNickFowlerandMonetYate'slovestorybeganwhileNickwasservingonanavalbaseinSanDiego. — MattPreis,USATODAY,15Sep.2022 Checkoutstunningimagesfromthebigday,andlearnmoreaboutthelovestorybehinditinthisweek’sBridalBliss. — VictoriaUwumarogie,Essence,13Sep.2022 MyadvicetoCameronwas:Skipthemagazine,hitthelovestory! — ChrisWillman,Variety,13Sep.2022 RecentExamplesontheWeb:Verb Somepeoplesaidthat'safaceonlyamothercouldlove. — SaleenMartin,USATODAY,21Sep.2022 The26-year-old'snewjourneytolovecomesafterhiswhirlwindrelationshipwithRachelRecchiaonTheBachelorette,wherehisseeminglysweetromancetookasuddenturnfortheworseaftertheFantasySuiteepisode. — SkylerCaruso,Peoplemag,21Sep.2022 Thefriendlyrivalsbothlovetorunfromthefront,whichsetsupaninterestingdynamic. — JoeMagill,cleveland,21Sep.2022 Canlove,nomatterhowselfless,beartheburdensofB’sriskylegalstatus? — CharlesMcnulty,LosAngelesTimes,20Sep.2022 Butthiscactushaslongtrailingstemsandpinkflowersthatpollinatorslove. — ArriccaElinSansone,HouseBeautiful,18Sep.2022 CoiLerayleanedintoherlargeTikTokfollowingduringherset,flashingmultiplevideosofherpreviouspostsandsingingsongsthatfollowersloveherfor. — EthanMillman,RollingStone,18Sep.2022 Who:Gamerecognizegame,andsupermodelsloveeachother. — FaranKrentcil,ELLE,17Sep.2022 Forremotepatientmonitoring,whichpunditslovetotoutasthefuture,adoptionremainsrelativelylow,thoughmanyphysiciansreportplanstoembraceitwithinayear. — MarioAguilar,STAT,16Sep.2022 SeeMore Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'love.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. PhrasesContaininglove all'sfairinloveandwar firstlove fallinlove falloutoflove freelove fortheloveofGod Imustloveyouandleaveyou fortheloveofMike/Pete loveaffair loveapple light-o'-love lovefeast lovechild lovebeads lovegrass love-hate love-haterelationship love-in love-in-a-mist loveisblind loveknot lovelife lovetap loveseat toknowsomeoneistolovehim/her puppylove theloveofsomeone'slife platoniclove nolovelost toughlove courtlylove beinlove lovenest lovehandles calf-love forlovenormoney self-love verylittlelovelost forloveormoney tug-of-love luckyinlove unluckyinlove inlove atlove light-of-love makelove SeeMore all'sfairinloveandwar firstlove fallinlove falloutoflove freelove fortheloveofGod Imustloveyouandleaveyou fortheloveofMike/Pete loveaffair loveapple light-o'-love lovefeast lovechild lovebeads lovegrass love-hate love-haterelationship love-in love-in-a-mist loveisblind loveknot lovelife lovetap loveseat toknowsomeoneistolovehim/her puppylove theloveofsomeone'slife platoniclove nolovelost toughlove courtlylove beinlove lovenest lovehandles calf-love forlovenormoney self-love verylittlelovelost forloveormoney tug-of-love luckyinlove unluckyinlove inlove atlove light-of-love makelove SeeMore FirstKnownUseoflove Noun beforethe12thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1a(1)Verb beforethe12thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedattransitivesense1 HistoryandEtymologyforlove NounandVerb MiddleEnglish,fromOldEnglishlufu;akintoOldHighGermanlubalove,OldEnglishlēofdear,Latinlubēre,libēretoplease LearnMoreAboutlove Sharelove PosttheDefinitionoflovetoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofloveonTwitter TimeTravelerforlove Thefirstknownuseoflovewas beforethe12thcentury Seemorewordsfromthesamecentury FromtheEditorsatMerriam-Webster Why'Love'Means"Nothing" Why'Love'Means"Nothing" It'sjustthebeginning.Keepscoringpoints. LovePoemsforWordNerds LovePoemsforWordNerds Foryou,fromus. 12WordsandPhrasesforRomantic... 12WordsandPhrasesforRomanticRelationships Thislistwarmsthecocklesofourhearts DictionaryEntriesNearlove lovat love love'stest SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsforlove LastUpdated 22Sep2022 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Love.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love.Accessed24Sep.2022. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforlove love noun \ˈləv \ KidsDefinitionoflove (Entry1of2) 1 :strongandwarmaffection(asofaparentforachild) 2 :agreatliking aloveforreading 3 :abelovedperson love verb loved;loving KidsDefinitionoflove (Entry2of2) 1 :tofeelstrongaffectionfor Heloveshisfamily. 2 :tolikeverymuch Shelovestoski. OtherWordsfromlove lover noun MorefromMerriam-Websteronlove Nglish:TranslationofloveforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofloveforArabicSpeakers Britannica.com:Encyclopediaarticleaboutlove WORDOFTHEDAY anthropomorphic SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! TestYourVocabulary TheGreatBritishVocabularyQuiz NamedafterSirRobertPeel,whatareBritishpolicecalled? Peelheads Robbies Berties Bobbies Canyouspellthese10commonlymisspelledwords? TAKETHEQUIZ Adailychallengeforcrosswordfanatics. TAKETHEQUIZ SubscribetoAmerica'slargestdictionaryandgetthousandsmoredefinitionsandadvancedsearch—adfree! Merriam-Websterunabridged WordsatPlay 'Dunderhead'andOther‘Nicer’WaystoSayStupid Asillustratedbysomeverysmartpups 10WordsfromPlaceNames Bikini,bourbon,andbadmintonwereplacesfirst 'Pride':TheWordThatWentFromVicetoStrength DoyoutakeprideinPride? WhenWereWordsFirstUsed? Lookupanyyeartofindout AsktheEditors Literally Howtouseawordthat(literally)drivessomepe... 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