lover

noun

lov·​er ˈlə-vər 

1

a

: a person in love

b

lovers plural : two persons in love with each other

2

: an affectionate or benevolent friend

3

: devotee

a lover of mystery novels

a lover of nature

4

a

: paramour

Her husband found a love letter from her lover.

b

: a person with whom one has sexual relations

He was her first lover.

Synonyms of lover

• fan
• sucker
• enthusiast
• fanatic
• admirer

Examples of lover in a Sentence

His wife accused him of having a secret lover.

She left her husband and ran away with her lover.

Recent Examples on the Web

Walking into Outpost Books is like stepping into a smart book lover’s cozy den. — Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Of course, amid the rise of streaming movies in the home coming out of the pandemic, followed by the 2023 Los Angeles writers and actors strikes, getting film lovers back into the Cranford Theater remained a challenge. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026

In the visual, Karol and Mars portray lovers once again — and even share a dramatic, firework-spurring embrace at the end. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026

Withholding his feelings and observations from family and lovers while sharing them with the outside world, Chen traces variations of longing and desire. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing lover

• lover boy
• secret lover
• true lover's knot

Rhymes for lover

• cover
• hover
• plover
• discover
• hardcover
• recover
• thereover
• uncover
• rediscover
• undercover

Kids Definition

lover

noun

lov·​er ˈləv-ər 

1

a

: a person in love

b

plural : two persons in love with each other

2

: devotee

a lover of music

3

a

: paramour

b

: a person with whom one has sexual relations

Biographical Definition

Lover

biographical name

Lov·​er ˈlə-vər 

Samuel 1797–1868 Irish novelist