limerence
or li·mer·ance
[ li-mer-uhns ]
/ ˈlɪ mɛr əns /
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noun
the state of being obsessively infatuated with someone, usually accompanied by delusions of or a desire for an intense romantic relationship with that person: Her limerence lasted for around three months before she actually met him.
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QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of limerence
First recorded in 1975–80; arbitrary coinage
OTHER WORDS FROM limerence
li·mer·ent, adjective, nounWords nearby limerence
limen, limen insulae, limen nasi, lime pit, limequat, limerence, limerick, limes, limescale, limestone, limestone lettuce
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for limerence
limerence
/ (ˈlɪmɪrəns) /
noun
psychol a state of mind resulting from romantic attraction, characterized by feelings of euphoria, the desire to have one's feelings reciprocated, etc
Word Origin for limerence
C20: coined by Dorothy Tennov (1928–2007), American psychologist
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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