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
Hollywood’s decades-long love affair with fast-food chains shows no signs of slowing down, from purple ‘demon’ sauce inspired by ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ to blue milkshakes for ‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.’
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
I’ve written about my on-again, off-again love affair with my own electric vehicle, from things I wish I had known before buying one to my experience taking one on a road trip.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Australia's ballad "Eclipse" evokes a love affair between planets.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Composers were never happier than when they were able to combine them both, preferably bolted on to a doomed love affair.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
