amour
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Middle English amour, from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor.
The modern pronunciation is due to continual French influence; the expected development would be /ˈæmə(ɹ)/, as seen in enamour, enamoured.
Pronunciation edit
- (UK) IPA(key): /əˈmʊə/, /aˈmʊə/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (US) IPA(key): /əˈmʊɹ/, /ɑˈmʊɹ/, /-ˈmoɹ/
- Rhymes: -ʊə(ɹ)
Noun edit
amour (countable and uncountable, plural amours)
- Courtship; flirtation.
- 1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 4, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1953, →ISBN, →OCLC, pages 78–79:
- Perhaps Daisy never went in for amour at all—and yet there's something in that voice of hers….
- A love affair.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, “A Dialogue between Mr. Jones and the Barber”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book VIII, page 180:
- Jones had mentioned the Fact of his Amour, and of his being the Rival of Blifil, but had cautiously concealed the Name of the young Lady.
- 1990 October 26, Jerry Sullivan, “Field & Street”, in Chicago Reader[1]:
- The amours of the greater scaup are, if anything, even more varied.
- A lover.
- 1845 April, Ned Buntline, “A Night-Adventure in Cuba”, in The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XXV, number 4, New York, N.Y.: […] John Allen, […], page 326:
- ‘Dulce, will you go to the masquerade-ball to night?’ said I to my lesser-half, on a bright evening during the gayest part of the ‘carnival season.’ / ‘No, my amor,’ answered she; ‘I am ill this evening; do n’t go out to-night, but stay by my side, and let your cheering presence save a doctor’s fee.’
- 2000 December 29, James McManus, “The Winter Casino”, in Chicago Reader[2]:
- Makes you wonder how they were able to see their amours, or their hands...
- (obsolete) Love, affection.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Anagrams edit
French edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor. The regular phonetic development would be ameur, attested in Old French; there has probably been an influence from Old Occitan.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
amour m or f (plural amours)
- love
- 1931, “J’ai deux amours”, performed by Josephine Baker:
- J’ai deux amours / Mon pays et Paris
- I have two loves / My country and Paris
- 2008, Cécile Corbel (lyrics and music), “Where have you been”, in Songbook vol. 3 - renaissance[3] (CD), Brittany: Keltia Musique:
- Ô mon Amour/ Mes pensées sont en voyage / Elles s’enroulent comme un ruban / O my love I’ve been searching / But I don’t know how / To find my way in the world without you
- O my Love / My thoughts are wandering / They wind like a ribbon / O my love I’ve been searching / But I don’t know how / To find my way in the world without you
Usage notes edit
- Though masculine when singular, the word amour is feminine when plural in the literary language; the same applies to délice and orgue.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Further reading edit
- “amour”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor.
Sense 3 could be due to the influence of Middle French ameur (“lover”), from Old French ameor, from Latin amātor, but may instead be a semantic development from the first two senses; compare love (“love, lover”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
amour (plural amours)
Related terms edit
Descendants edit
References edit
- “amǒur, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- “amǒur, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Middle French edit
Etymology edit
From Old French amor, from Latin amor.
Noun edit
amour m (plural amours)
Descendants edit
Norman edit
Etymology edit
From Old French amor, from Latin amor.
Noun edit
amour m (plural amours)