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amatory

[am-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to lovers or lovemaking; expressive of love: amatory poems; an amatory look.
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Also am·a·to·ri·al [am-uh-tawr-ee-uh l, -tohr-ee-uh l] /ˌæm əˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr i əl/.

Origin of amatory

1590–1600; < Latin amātōrius, equivalent to amā- (stem of amāre to love) + -tōrius -tory1
Related formsam·a·to·ri·al·ly, adverbpseu·do·am·a·to·ri·al, adjectivepseu·do·am·a·to·ry, adjective

Synonyms

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amorous, ardent, passionate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for amatory

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The amatory exploits of Peirithous and Theseus are equally unworthy.

  • To be sure, this was not by any means his first amatory venture.

    Quin

    Alice Hegan Rice

  • Of the Elizabethan amatory verses only a small portion has been transmitted to us.

  • In fact, gregarious and amatory as are the Ana, Frogs are still more so.

    The Coming Race

    Edward Bulwer Lytton

  • In the child, the moods of the amatory sentiment are exceedingly variable.

British Dictionary definitions for amatory

amatory

amatorial (ˌæməˈtɔːrɪəl)

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or inciting sexual love or desire
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Word Origin

C16: from Latin amātōrius, from amāre to 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

Word Origin and History for amatory

adj.

1590s, "pertaining to love" (especially sexual love), from Latin amatorius "loving," from amatus, past participle of amare (see Amy).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper