# lover

/ˈɫəvɝ/ (US) · /lˈʌvɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lover
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. sexual partner

noun · CEFR B1

a person you are having a sexual relationship with, especially if you are not married to them.

For teachers: a sexual partner, frequently used to describe a participant in an extramarital affair or a non-marital romantic relationship.

- She eventually left her husband to live with her lover.
- The novel explores the complex emotional landscape of two secret lovers who meet in the city every weekend.

### 2. an enthusiast

noun · CEFR B1

someone who likes or enjoys something very much.

For teachers: a person who possesses a strong predilection for or devotion to a specific activity, object, or concept.

- As a nature lover, he spends every weekend hiking in the mountains.
- The festival attracts music lovers from across the continent, offering a diverse programme ranging from classical to contemporary jazz.

### 3. romantic partner

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

a person you love in a romantic way.

For teachers: a person with whom one is in a romantic relationship; often used in the plural to describe a couple.

- The two young lovers walked hand in hand through the park.
- In the final act of the play, the star-crossed lovers are reunited under the balcony for one last conversation.

### 4. informal address

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect · British English

a friendly way to talk to someone, used in some parts of South West England.

For teachers: a traditional, informal term of address for a friend or acquaintance, characteristic of West Country dialects.

- Alright, lover? How have you been lately?
- The shopkeeper greeted the regular customer with a cheerful 'Morning, lover,' a common salutation in that specific part of Somerset.

Teaching tip: This usage is highly regional to South West England; outside of this area, calling a stranger 'lover' may be misunderstood as a sexual advance.

## Examples

- The two secret lovers met in the park at midnight.
- As a lifelong lover of classical music, she spent most of her weekends attending local orchestra performances.
- The novel explores the tension between the protagonist's duty to his family and his intense devotion to his lover, a woman from a rival household.

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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.