Wiktionary

amour

See also: Amour

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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

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Noun

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amour (countable and uncountable, plural amours)

  1. Courtship; flirtation.
  2. 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.
  3. 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...
  4. (obsolete) Love, affection.

Derived terms

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Anagrams

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French

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French Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia fr

Etymology

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Inherited from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor. The regular phonetic development would be ameur, attested in Old French (cf. Picard anmeur); there has probably been an influence from Old Occitan.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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amour m or f (plural amours)

  1. 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, “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

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  • Though masculine when singular, the word amour is feminine when plural in the literary language; the same applies to délice and orgue.

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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

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  • IPA(key): /aˈmuːr/, /ˈamur/

Noun

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amour (plural amours)

  1. love, affection
  2. (rare) friendliness, amicability
  3. (rare) lover, paramour
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Descendants

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  • English: amour, amor
  • Middle Scots: amour

References

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Middle French

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Etymology

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From Old French amor, from Latin amor.

Noun

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amour m (plural amours)

  1. love

Descendants

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Norman

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Etymology

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From Old French amor, from Latin amor.

Noun

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amour m (plural amours)

  1. (Jersey) love
    • 1903, Edgar MacCulloch, “Proverbs, Weather Sayings, etc.”, in Guernsey Folk Lore‎[4], page 542:
      I' vit d'amour et de belles chànsons—coum' les alouettes de roques.
      He lives on love and fine songs—as larks do on stones.
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