amour
n. countablen. a secret love affair, especially one that people might think is wrong or scandalous.
n. a secret or illicit love affair. Often carries a literary or slightly old-fashioned tone; frequently implies a relationship that is hidden from the public eye.
The king's secret amour was the talk of the court.
The novel explores a scandalous amour between a young poet and a wealthy merchant's wife.
Historians have long debated whether their correspondence suggests a genuine political alliance or a clandestine amour that influenced the treaty's final terms.
Inherited from Middle English amour, from Middle French amour, from Old French amor, from Latin amor. The modern pronunciation is due to continual French influence; the expected development would be /ˈæmə(ɹ)/, as seen in enamour, enamoured.
Often used in the plural ('amours') to describe a series of romantic involvements.
He felt a deep amour for her.He felt a deep love for her.Learners often use 'amour' as a synonym for the feeling of love, but it specifically refers to the relationship or affair itself.