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paramour
[ par-uh-moor ]
/ ˈpær əˌmʊər /
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noun
an illicit lover, especially of a married person.
any lover.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of paramour
1250–1300; Middle English, from the phrase par amour by or through love <Old French
Words nearby paramour
paramo, paramorph, paramorphine, paramorphism, paramount, paramour, Paramus, paramyxovirus, Paraná, Paranaguá, ParanaÃba
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use paramour in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for paramour
paramour
/ (ˈpærəˌmʊə) /
noun
mainly derogatory a lover, esp an adulterous woman
an archaic word for beloved (def. 2)
Word Origin for paramour
C13: from Old French, literally: through love
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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