# amour

/ˌɑˈmuɹ/ (US) · /ˈæmɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/amour
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a secret love affair

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a secret love affair, especially one that is not considered proper.

For teachers: a clandestine or illicit love affair. Often used in literary contexts to describe romantic entanglements.

- The old letters revealed a secret amour between the prince and the commoner.
- The biography focuses less on his political achievements and more on his various amours with the leading actresses of the day.

Usage: Usually countable when referring to specific instances of affairs.

### 2. a lover

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a person that someone is having a secret romantic relationship with.

For teachers: a person with whom one has a love affair; a paramour.

- He was seen walking through the park with his latest amour.
- In the final act of the play, the protagonist is forced to choose between his duty to the crown and his devotion to his secret amour.

Usage: Countable in this sense.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.