paramour
Americannoun
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an illicit lover, especially of a married person.
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any lover.
noun
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derogatory a lover, esp an adulterous woman
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an archaic word for beloved
Etymology
Origin of paramour
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from the phrase par amour “by love, through love,” from Old French par “by, through” (from Latin per per ( def. ) ) + amo(u)r “love” ( amour ( def. ) )
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.
A fetching lass in Regency garb and her paramour, confessing his ardor.
From Los Angeles Times
Miss Piggy, her paramour Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, and Fozzie have reunited for the one-off show to mark its 50th birthday, after their beloved film outings such as Muppet Christmas Carol.
From BBC
Often, a Housewife will end one season in a promising new relationship, only for their paramour to be cut loose by the next, when new romances blossom alongside fresh opening taglines.
From Salon
Of course, it was just to help his paramour Kate escape her father’s evil clutches.
From Salon
His lawyers claim he’s being falsely accused, maintaining that the weapon was a prop he took from the set of a music video filmed with his paramour, the pop star Rihanna.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
