valentine

noun

val·​en·​tine ˈva-lən-ˌtīn How to pronounce valentine (audio)
Synonyms of valentinenext
1
: a sweetheart chosen or complimented on Valentine's Day
2
a
: a gift or greeting sent or given especially to a sweetheart on Valentine's Day
especially : a greeting card sent on this day
b
: something (such as a movie or piece of writing) expressing uncritical praise or affection : tribute

Examples of valentine in a Sentence

Won't you be my valentine?
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.
Spoil yourself or your valentine with the TheraGun Mini Massage Gun this season, and thank me later. Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026 That would have been a valentine to my future self. Heidi Seaborn september 18, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2025 Visually very much a valentine to the City of Angels, the proceedings kick off with Reeves’ low-order, angel-in-training perched atop L.A.’s Griffith Observatory surveying the socially inequitable lay of the land below. Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025 All at once, a generation of dazzling young people who had studied the canon in deadening classrooms remembered that poems could be, had always been, anything at all—an invitation, an apology, a thank-you note, a recipe, a valentine. Dan Chiasson, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for valentine

Word History

Etymology

Middle English valentyn, after Seint Valentynes day

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of valentine was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Valentine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/valentine. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

valentine

noun
val·​en·​tine ˈval-ən-ˌtīn How to pronounce valentine (audio)
1
: a sweetheart given something as a sign of affection on Valentine's Day
2
: a gift or greeting sent or given on Valentine's Day
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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