romantic

comparative more romantic · superlative most romantic · alternative obsolete romantick

1. historicalOf a work of literature, a writer etc.: being like or having the characteristics of a romance, or poetic tale of a mythic or quasi-historical time; fantastic.First known use 17th c.
2. obsoleteFictitious, imaginary.First known use 17th–20th c.
3. Fantastic, unrealistic (of an idea etc.); fanciful, sentimental, impractical (of a person).First known use 17th c.

   Mary sighed, knowing her ideals were far too romantic to work in reality.

   1 more example

   R. Jeeves: In my experience, ladies who spell Gladys with a W are seldom noted for their reliability, sir. It gives them romantic notions. B.W. Wooster: With a W, Jeeves? No, no, no, no. You spell it with a G. R. Jeeves: If I might draw your attention to the signature on the portrait, sir. B.W. Wooster: Good Lord! G-W? R. Jeeves: I blame Alfred Lord Tennyson and his Idylls of the King. It also accounts for Kathryn, Ysabel, and Ethyl, all spelt with a Y, but Gwladys is a particularly virulent form, sir.

   1993 May 16, “Return to New York”, in Jeeves and Wooster, Series 3, Episode 6

4. Having the qualities of romance (in the sense of something appealing deeply to the imagination); invoking on a powerfully sentimental idea of life; evocative, atmospheric.First known use 17th c.

   Somehow she wasn't a real sister, but that only made her the more romantic.

   1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew

   2 more examples

   But here is an artist. He desires to paint you the dreamiest, shadiest, quietest, most enchanting bit of romantic landscape in all the valley of the Saco.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 1, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC

   Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.

   2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 71

5. Pertaining to an idealised form of love (originally, as might be felt by the heroes of a romance); conducive to romance; loving, affectionate.First known use 18th c.

   Their kiss started casually, but it slowly turned romantic.

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   Contrary to the popular perception that love typically sparks from passion, a new study finds two-thirds of romantic relationships begin as long-term friendships.

   2021 July 20, Sarah Molano, “Most romantic relationships start as friendships, study finds”, in CNN

   Antonyms: platonic, non-sexual

6. Alternative letter-case form of RomanticFirst known use 18th c.
7. Experiencing romantic attraction.First known use 21st c.

   Grayromantic asexual people are between romantic and aromantic and less likely to experience romantic attraction compared to most people.

   2019, Julie Xuemei Hu, Shondrah Tarrezz Nash, “Sexuality and Sexual Relationships throughout Life”, in Marriage and the Family: Mirror of a Diverse Global Society, Routledge, →ISBN

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   Elsewhere, I describe that, in addition to an asexual identity, another salient identity for asexual individuals may be a romantic or aromantic identity, which designates an interest (or lack thereof) in monogamous, intimate relationships (Scherrer, 2008).

   2010, Kristin S. Scherrer, “Asexual Relationships: What Does Asexuality Have to Do with Polyamory?”, in Meg Barker, Darren Langdridge, editors, Understanding Non-Monogamies, New York, N.Y.; London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 154

   What is relatively “new” is the formation of communities around the common language of asexuality as it is understood today—communities in which new categories exist around the concept of asexuality or “being ace,” where people can discuss romantic or aromantic orientations in relation to or apart from sexual desires or non-desires.

   2014, Karli June Cerankowski, Megan Milks, “Introduction: Why Asexuality? Why Now?”, in Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives (Routledge Research in Gender and Society), New York, N.Y.; London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 2

   Synonyms: allo, alloromantic · Antonyms: aromantic

plural romantics · alternative obsolete romantick

1. A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
2. A person who is behaving romantically (in a manner befitting someone who feels an idealized form of love).

   Oh, flowers! You're such a romantic.

   1 more example

   Kaldor is an interesting lyricist, and it is easy to identify with her imagery. She's also an unabashed romantic of the most extreme kind, with lines like "For we can talk without speaking/we can see without light/I'll never leave you...."

   1985 December 14, Maida Tilchen, Gay Community News, volume 13, number 22, page 8

comparative more Romantic · superlative most Romantic · alternative obsolete Romantick

1. Of or pertaining to Romance.
2. Of or pertaining to Romanticism.
3. informalhuman sciencesSynonym of Romance.

   Synonyms: Romance

plural Romantics · alternative obsolete Romantick

1. An artist involved in the Romantic movement.