lover

noun

lov·​er ˈlə-vər How to pronounce lover (audio)
Synonyms of lovernext
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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Hawai’i, two lovers (Kenji and Jane) are drawn together for what’s supposed to be a summer fling. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 Bagel lovers can pick from classic varieties like sesame, cinnamon raisin, blueberry and poppy seed. Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026 Born in New York, the lifelong nature lover grew enamored of the frontier lifestyle during a 1883 trip to the Dakota Territory to hunt bison. Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Nyong’o also plays Clytemnestra, the unfaithful wife of Agamemnon, whom Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus, murder. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lover

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of lover was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lover. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

lover

noun
lov·​er ˈləv-ər How to pronounce lover (audio)
1
a
: a person in love
b
plural : two persons in love with each other
2
: devotee
a lover of music
3
a
b
: a person with whom one has sexual relations

Biographical Definition

Lover

biographical name

Lov·​er ˈlə-vər How to pronounce Lover (audio)
Samuel 1797–1868 Irish novelist

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