love affair
Americannoun
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a romantic relationship or episode between lovers; an amour.
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an active enthusiasm for something.
my love affair with sailing.
noun
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a romantic or sexual relationship, esp a temporary one, between two people
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a great enthusiasm or liking for something
a love affair with ballet
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An intimate sexual relationship, as in They had a torrid love affair many years ago . This expression dates from about 1600, when it referred merely to the experiences connected with being in love. The current sense dates from the second half of the 1800s.
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A strong enthusiasm, as in We can't ignore America's love affair with the automobile . [Mid-1900s]
Etymology
Origin of love affair
First recorded in 1585–95
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her love affair with The Beatles began, like so many others, on February 9, 1964, when she tuned into the group’s American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
Phillip McKnight’s love affair with Stratocaster guitars started at age 15 when he got a counterfeit version of the Fender icon—and an amp—for $120.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
So, what is this based on, and will their love affair last?
From BBC • May 18, 2026
The Vanguard option is the modern-day incarnation of the storied Vanguard 500 fund, which kicked off investors’ love affair with index investing in the 1970s.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
The next passage in my journey is a love affair.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
