lover

noun

lov·​er ˈlə-vər How to pronounce lover (audio)
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 When prose writers rose to literary prominence, in the eighteenth century, lovers of verse deemed the medium vulgar. Stephanie Burt, The New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2023 The flavor favored by latte lovers and ice cream fans has been the subject of more than 200 lawsuits, according to a report in the National Law Review. Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2023 Untouched by modernization, the grandstands and the pavement sit close as lovers, no chaste safety fencing between them. Bob Sorokanich, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2023 This park features 18th-century French army barracks and is a must-visit for history lovers. Julia Eskins, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2023 Season 14 of the Great British Bake Off (or the Great British Baking Show in the US) premiers September 29 on Netflix and lovers of bucolic b-roll of the English countryside and amateur bakers alike are clutching their bundt pans in excitement. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 16 Sep. 2023 At Moda, customers and fashion lovers are able to pre-order off-the-runway finds and exclusives. Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2023 Unlike niche categories like beauty gifts or presents for pet lovers, tech spans far and wide. Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2023 Xavier Rivas was a 2020 graduate of Madison Park High School, a lover of Puerto Rico, hats, Polo shirts, cars, music — and fireworks. John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lover.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near lover

Cite this Entry

“Lover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lover. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on lover

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