top definitions
quizzes
related content
examples
explore dictionary
british
idioms and phrases

love

[ luhv ]

/ lʌv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR love ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

sexual passion or desire.

a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

(used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?

a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.

sexual intercourse; copulation.

(initial capital letter) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.

affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.

strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.

the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.

the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.

Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.

a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.

verb (used with object), loved, lov·ing.

to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.

to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).

to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.

to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.

to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.

to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object), loved, lov·ing.

to have love or affection for another person; be in love.

Verb Phrases

love up, to hug and cuddle: She loves him up every chance she gets.

VIDEO FOR LOVE

WATCH NOW: Quotes On Love And Heartbreak

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM

QUIZZES

CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

Did you collect all of last week’s words, but eftsoons forget what they mean? Don’t worry, we’re here to jog your memory. See how many words from the week of May 18 to 24 you can get right!

Question 1 of 7

weal

well-being, prosperity, or happiness.

the intervening time.

a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for love

for love,

out of affection or liking; for pleasure.
without compensation; gratuitously: He took care of the poor for love.

for the love of, in consideration of; for the sake of: For the love of mercy, stop that noise.

in love, infused with or feeling deep affection or passion: a youth always in love.

in love with, feeling deep affection or passion for (a person, idea, occupation, etc.); enamored of: in love with the girl next door; in love with one's work.

make love,

to embrace and kiss as lovers.
to engage in sexual activity.

no love lost, dislike; animosity: There was no love lost between the two brothers.

Origin of love

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English lufu, cognate with Old Frisian luve, Old High German luba, Gothic lubō; (v.) Middle English lov(i)en, Old English lufian; cognate with Old Frisian luvia, Old High German lubōn to love, Latin lubēre (later libēre) to be pleasing; akin to lief

SYNONYMS FOR love

1 tenderness, fondness, predilection, warmth, passion, adoration.

1, 2 Love, affection, devotion all mean a deep and enduring emotional regard, usually for another person. Love may apply to various kinds of regard: the charity of the Creator, reverent adoration toward God or toward a person, the relation of parent and child, the regard of friends for each other, romantic feelings for another person, etc. Affection is a fondness for others that is enduring and tender, but calm. Devotion is an intense love and steadfast, enduring loyalty to a person; it may also imply consecration to a cause.

2 liking, inclination, regard, friendliness.

15 like.

16 adore, adulate, worship.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR love ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR love

1, 2 hatred, dislike.

15, 16 detest, hate.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR love ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM love

out·love, verb (used with object), out·loved, out·lov·ing.o·ver·love, verb, o·ver·loved, o·ver·lov·ing.

Words nearby love

louÿs, lovable, lovage, lovastatin, lovat, love, love affair, love apple, love arrows, love at first sight, love beads

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for love

“I love my job and I love my city and I am committed to the work here,” he said in a statement.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races|David Freedlander|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You just travel light with carry-on luggage, go to cities that you love, and get to hang out with all your friends.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And we have a lot of great guests this season: Greta Gerwig, Natasha Lyonne, Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi is back—I love that guy.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It upsets me because I used to really, and still do sometimes, love the articles Salon writes.
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

He talked about his love for his daughters, Taelor and Sydni, who were still very young at the time.
Remembering ESPN’s Sly, Cocky, and Cool Anchor Stuart Scott|Stereo Williams|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Her eyes might find no blemish in his person, and Love knocked upon her heart, requiring her to love, since her time had come.
French Mediaeval Romances from the Lays of Marie de France|Marie de France
We were such good friends, and we felt, I daresay, that it was our duty to love each other.
Robert Orange|John Oliver Hobbes
Beauchamp hugged his politics like some who show their love of the pleasures of life by taking to them angrily.
Beauchamp's Career, Complete|George Meredith
Is Love ours, and do we dream we know it, Bound with all our heart-strings, all our own?
Legends and Lyrics: Second Series|Adelaide Anne Procter
I love them that know how to live, be it even as those going under, for such are those going across.
Plain English|Marian Wharton

British Dictionary definitions for love

love

/ (lʌv) /

verb

(tr) to have a great attachment to and affection for

(tr) to have passionate desire, longing, and feelings for

(tr) to like or desire (to do something) very much

(tr) to make love to

(intr) to be in love

noun

an intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or thing
(as modifier)love song; love story

a deep feeling of sexual attraction and desire

wholehearted liking for or pleasure in something

Christianity

God's benevolent attitude towards man
man's attitude of reverent devotion towards God

Also: my love a beloved person: used esp as an endearment

British informal a term of address, esp but not necessarily for a person regarded as likable

(in tennis, squash, etc) a score of zero

fall in love to become in love

for love without payment

for love or money (used with a negative) in any circumstancesI wouldn't eat a snail for love or money

for the love of for the sake of

in love in a state of strong emotional attachment and usually sexual attraction

make love

to have sexual intercourse (with)
archaic to engage in courtship (with)

Other words from love

Related adjective: amatory

Word Origin for love

Old English lufu; related to Old High German luba; compare also Latin libēre (originally lubēre) to please

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

Idioms and Phrases with love

love

In addition to the idioms beginning with love

love affair
love at first sight

also see:

all's fair in love and war
course of true love
fall in love
for the love of
labor of love
make love
misery loves company
no love lost
not for love or money
puppy love
somebody up there loves me

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Emoji Challenge! Test Yourself!