paramour

[ par-uh-moor ]
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noun
  1. an illicit lover, especially of a married person.

  2. any lover.

Origin of paramour

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from the phrase par amour “by love, through love,” from Old French par “by, through” (from Latin per per ) + amo(u)r “love” (see amour )

Words Nearby paramour

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How to use paramour in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for paramour

paramour

/ (ˈpærəˌmʊə) /


noun
  1. mainly derogatory a lover, esp an adulterous woman

  2. an archaic word for beloved (def. 2)

Origin of paramour

1
C13: from Old French, literally: through love

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012