amorous

adjective am·o·rous \ ˈa-mə-rəs , ˈam-rəs \

Definition of amorous

1 :strongly moved by love and especially sexual love

amorous couples

2 :being in love :enamored —usually used with of

amorous of the girl

3 a :indicative of love

received amorous glances from her partner

b :of or relating to love

an amorous novel

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amorously

adverb

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amorousness

noun

See amorous defined for English-language learners

See amorous defined for kids

Examples of amorous in a Sentence

Vickers has now turned his formidable powers to "A Lover's Complaint". This 329-line amorous oration was published with the Sonnets in 1609, though it is probably little read even by those for whom the sonnets are a form of poetic oxygen. —Harold Love, Times Literary Supplement, 6 July 2007
The first commercial valentines were produced in the U.S. in 1834 by one Robert H. Elton, and the custom of sending greeting cards with amorous messages has persisted. —Phillip Lopate, Wigwag, February 1990
His amorous affairs he flaunted as if they were masterpieces, and he invited his marital partner to share in the esthetic experience. —John Updike, New York Times Book Review, 29 Mar. 1987
He has an amorous nature.
male birds engage in amorous behavior—nest-building, singing, showing off their finery—in order to attract females

Recent Examples of amorous from the Web

The amorous couple was adapted from a pair of dancers in an exuberant Rubens painting of a country wedding — although here their legs have been truncated so that the figures are seated on the ground.

— christopher knight, latimes.com, "The Getty just announced its most important drawings acquisition in 20 years—and adds a 'Surprise'," 20 July 2017
For amorous couples looking to take it up a notch, check into the erotic suite at the 9Hotel Montparnasse.

— the washington post, The Denver Post, "Paris lodging for every kind of traveler," 15 June 2017
Demi Moore and Ty Burrell also turn in a memorable cameo as an amorous neighbor couple.

— katie walsh, star-telegram.com, "Comedy standouts have ‘Rough Night,’ and that’s a good thing," 14 June 2017
The musical reaches a climax when an unintended amorous scene involving many of the characters produces more conflict, adding to the laughs.

— marvin glassman, Jewish Journal, "'It Shoulda Been You' is funny, memorable," 30 May 2017
A flirtatious text message might give you some amorous ideas.

— jeraldine saunders, The Mercury News, "Horoscopes: April 25, 2017," 25 Apr. 2017
So, my first trip to Europe would be in the role of daughter-in-law and not that of amorous young wife.

— the new york times, New York Times, "Readers’ Stories of Love on the Road," 19 Apr. 2017
In a bizarre ritual, an amorous male hides on the underside of a leaf and thrusts the paddle high enough for a female on the other side of the leaf to see it.

— National Geographic, "Bondage, Cannibalism, and Castration—Spiders' Wild Sex Lives," 14 Feb. 2017
The Art of Love, the Roman poet Ovid offers some words of advice to the amorous.

— brian handwerk, Smithsonian, "The History and Science Behind Your Terrible Breath," 13 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amorous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

A couple smooching on a park bench could be called amorous, or a young married couple who are always hugging and kissing. But the word is often used a bit sarcastically, as when a tabloid newspaper gets hold of some scandalous photos and calls the participants "the amorous pair". In such cases, we may be encouraged to think the attraction is more physical than emotional.