amour
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English amour, from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor.
The modern pronunciation is due to continual French influence; the expected development would be /ˈæmə(ɹ)/, as seen in enamour, enamoured.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /əˈmʊə/, /aˈmʊə/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (US) IPA(key): /əˈmʊɹ/, /ɑˈmʊɹ/, /-ˈmoɹ/
- Rhymes: -ʊə(ɹ)
Noun
amour (countable and uncountable, plural amours)
- Courtship; flirtation.
- 1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 4, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1953, →ISBN, →OCLC, pages 78–79:
- Perhaps Daisy never went in for amour at all—and yet there's something in that voice of hers….
- A love affair.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, “A Dialogue between Mr. Jones and the Barber”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A Millar, , →OCLC, book VIII, page 180:
- Jones had mentioned the Fact of his Amour, and of his being the Rival of Blifil, but had cautiously concealed the Name of the young Lady.
- A lover.
- 1845 April, Ned Buntline, “A Night-Adventure in Cuba”, in The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XXV, number 4, New York, N.Y.: John Allen, , page 326:
- ‘Dulce, will you go to the masquerade-ball to night?’ said I to my lesser-half, on a bright evening during the gayest part of the ‘carnival season.’ / ‘No, my amor,’ answered she; ‘I am ill this evening; do n’t go out to-night, but stay by my side, and let your cheering presence save a doctor’s fee.’
- (obsolete) Love, affection.
Derived terms
Related terms
Anagrams
French
Etymology
Inherited from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor. The regular phonetic development would be ameur, attested in Old French; there has probably been an influence from Old Occitan.
Pronunciation
Noun
amour m or f (plural amours)
- love
- 1931, “J’ai deux amours”, performed by Josephine Baker:
- J’ai deux amours / Mon pays et Paris
- I have two loves / My country and Paris
- 2008, Cécile Corbel (lyrics and music), “Where have you been”, in Songbook vol. 3 - renaissance (CD), Brittany: Keltia Musique:
- Ô mon Amour/ Mes pensées sont en voyage / Elles s’enroulent comme un ruban / O my love I’ve been searching / But I don’t know how / To find my way in the world without you
- O my Love / My thoughts are wandering / They wind like a ribbon / O my love I’ve been searching / But I don’t know how / To find my way in the world without you
Usage notes
- Though masculine when singular, the word amour is feminine when plural in the literary language; the same applies to délice and orgue.
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “amour”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.
Middle English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor.
Sense 3 could be due to the influence of Middle French ameur (“lover”), from Old French ameor, from Latin amātor, but may instead be a semantic development from the first two senses; compare love (“love, lover”).
Pronunciation
Noun
amour (plural amours)
Related terms
Descendants
References
- “amǒur, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- “amǒur, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Middle French
Etymology
From Old French amor, from Latin amor.
Noun
amour m (plural amours)
Descendants
Norman
Etymology
From Old French amor, from Latin amor.
Noun
amour m (plural amours)