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Synonyms

love affair

American  

noun

  1. a romantic relationship or episode between lovers; an amour.

  2. an active enthusiasm for something.

    my love affair with sailing.


love affair British  

noun

  1. a romantic or sexual relationship, esp a temporary one, between two people

  2. a great enthusiasm or liking for something

    a love affair with ballet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

love affair Idioms  
  1. 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.

  2. 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.

She brought the socially connected Mrs. Walter into her confidence about the love affair with Elisha.

From Literature

After a three-year love affair with anything related to artificial intelligence, U.S. investors are flocking to the factory owners, fast-food restaurants and commodity companies that have seemingly strong odds of surviving the technological revolution intact.

From The Wall Street Journal

Not that Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff’s doomed-by-their-own-hands love affair ever needed the exposure; Brontë’s themes of obsession, revenge, social class and the supernatural are still analyzed in high school English classes.

From Los Angeles Times

In an interview published to mark Massie's retirement as The Scotsman's chief literary critic, David Robinson outlined what he called the author's "love affair" with the paper, as well as the scale of his output.

From BBC

Prince Axel of Denmark liked to drink Carlsberg while at the restaurant in the 1920s, beginning that culinary love affair.

From BBC