romance

romance · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromrōmānicus“roman”
2. Vulgar Latin · derived fromrōmānicē“in the Roman language”
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromrōmānicē
4. Old French · derived fromromanz
5. Middle English · inherited fromromauns
6. English todayromance

From Middle English romauns, roumance, borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Old French romanz, romans (the vernacular language of France, as opposed to Latin), from Medieval Latin rōmānicē, Vulgar Latin rōmānicē (“in the Roman language”, adverb), from Latin rōmānicus (“roman”, adjective) from rōmānus (“a Roman”). Doublet of Romansch.

Romance · noun, adjective²

1. Latin · derived fromrōmānicus
2. Late Latin · derived fromrōmānicē
3. Old French · derived fromromanz“vernacular language (of France)”
4. English todayRomance

From Old French romanz (“vernacular language (of France)”), from Late Latin rōmānicē, from Latin rōmānicus < rōmānus + -icus. Extended in the 17th century to all languages derived from Latin.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 17th c. The group of languages and cultures which are derived from Vulgar Latin.