ENGLISH
REFERENCE

romantic

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ɹoʊˈmæntɪk// UK //ɹəʊmˈæntɪk// ro·man·tic Archaic General-service Informal

n. someone who is very interested in love and feelings. You are a romantic if you enjoy things like flowers, candlelit dinners, or dreaming about a perfect life.

n. a person whose conduct or ideas are governed by sentiment and idealism rather than realism. Often used to describe someone who prioritises emotional expression and aesthetic beauty in their personal life.


SIMPLE

He is a true romantic who still writes handwritten love letters.

CONTEXTUAL

She considers herself a hopeless romantic, always looking for the magic in everyday situations.

COMPLEX

While his colleagues focused on the logistical hurdles of the move, the romantic in him could only imagine the sunset views from their new balcony.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From romant + -ic, or borrowed from Late Latin romanticus (“(of a poem) having qualities of a romance”). Compare French romantique, which is borrowed from English. Also compare Spanish romántico, Portuguese romântico, Italian romantico, Dutch romantisch, and German romantisch and Romantiker (“a composer of Romantic music”), all of which are borrowed from English or French.

Usage

Often preceded by adjectives like 'hopeless', 'true', or 'die-hard' to emphasize the person's personality.

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