English Reference

Word

valentine

Phoneticsvalen·tine

US/ˈvæɫənˌtaɪn/

UK/vˈæləntˌaɪn/

Definitions

01a card or gift

B1

n. a card, message, or small gift that you send to someone you love or like on February 14th.

n. a greeting card or token of affection sent, often anonymously, to a romantic interest or partner on Saint Valentine's Day.

“He spent the whole evening making a handmade valentine for his girlfriend.”

“The tradition of sending elaborate paper valentines flourished in the nineteenth century, often featuring intricate lace patterns and romantic verse.”

02a person

B1

n. the person you give a card to or spend time with on February 14th.

n. a person singled out as a sweetheart or recipient of a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day.

“She was so happy when he asked her to be his valentine.”

“In primary schools, children often exchange small treats so that every student feels included as someone's valentine.”

03Saint Valentine

C1 · Religion

n. the Christian saint from long ago whose name is used for the holiday on February 14th.

n. a third-century Christian martyr associated with the tradition of courtly love and the modern holiday.

“The holiday is named after Saint Valentine, who lived in ancient Rome.”

“Historical records regarding the life of Saint Valentine remain fragmentary, leading to various legends about his role in performing secret marriages.”

Formal

Etymology

From Latin Valentīnus, a patronymic from Valēns (Roman cognomen), itself nominalized from vālens (“strong, healthy”) + -īnus (“-ine”). Doublet of Valentinus, Valentino, Valentina, and Valentini.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference