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Webster 1913 Edition

Romance

Ro-mance′

,
Noun.
[OE.
romance
,
romant
,
romaunt
, OF.
romanz
,
romans
,
romant
,
roman
, F.
roman
,
romance
, fr. LL.
Romanice
in the Roman language, in the vulgar tongue, i. e., in the vulgar language which sprang from Latin, the language of the Romans, and hence applied to fictitious compositions written in this vulgar tongue; fr. L.
Romanicus
Roman, fr.
Romanus
. See
Roman
, and cf.
Romanic
,
Romaunt
,
Romansch
,
Romanza
.]
1.
A species of fictitious writing, originally composed in meter in the Romance dialects, and afterward in prose, such as the tales of the court of Arthur, and of Amadis of Gaul; hence, any fictitious and wonderful tale; a sort of novel, especially one which treats of surprising adventures usually befalling a hero or a heroine; a tale of extravagant adventures, of love, and the like.
“Romances that been royal.”
Chaucer.
Upon these three columns – chivalry, gallantry, and religion – repose the fictions of the Middle Ages, especially those known as
romances
. These, such as we now know them, and such as display the characteristics above mentioned, were originally metrical, and chiefly written by nations of the north of France.
Hallam.
2.
An adventure, or series of extraordinary events, resembling those narrated in romances;
as, his courtship, or his life, was a
romance
.
3.
A dreamy, imaginative habit of mind; a disposition to ignore what is real;
as, a girl full of
romance
.
4.
The languages, or rather the several dialects, which were originally forms of popular or vulgar Latin, and have now developed into Italian. Spanish, French, etc. (called the Romanic languages).
5.
(Mus.)
A short lyric tale set to music; a song or short instrumental piece in ballad style; a romanza.
Syn. – Fable; novel; fiction; tale.

Ro-mance′

,
Adj.
Of or pertaining to the language or dialects known as Romance.

Ro-mance′

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Romanced
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Romancing
.]
To write or tell romances; to indulge in extravagant stories.
A very brave officer, but apt to
romance
.
Walpole.

Webster 1828 Edition

Romance

ROMANCE

,
Noun.
romans', ro'mans.
1.
A fabulous relation or story of adventures and incidents, designed for the entertainment of readers; a tale of extraordinary adventures, fictitious and often extravagant, usually a tale of love or war, subjects interesting the sensibilities of the heart, or the passions of wonder and curiosity. Romance differs from the novel, as it treats of great actions and extraordinary adventures; that is, according to the Welch signification, it vaults or soars beyond the limits of fact and real life, and often of probability.
The first romances were a monstrous assemblage of histories, in which truth and fiction were blended without probability; a composition of amorous adventures and the extravagant ideas of chivalry.
2.
A fiction.

ROMANCE

,
Verb.
I.
romans', ro'mans. To forge and tell fictitious stories; to deal in extravagant stories.

Definition 2024

Romance

Romance

See also: romance, romancé, and românce

English

Noun

Romance ‎(uncountable)

  1. The group of languages and cultures which are derived from Vulgar Latin.

Adjective

Romance

  1. Of or dealing with languages or cultures derived from Roman influence and Latin: Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Catalan, Occitan, Corsican, etc.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Related terms

See also

Anagrams

romance

romance

See also: Romance, românce, and romancé

English

Noun

romance ‎(plural romances)

  1. A story relating to chivalry; a story involving knights, heroes, adventures, quests, etc.
  2. An intimate relationship between two people; a love affair.
  3. A strong obsession or attachment for something or someone.
  4. Idealized love which is pure or beautiful.
  5. A mysterious, exciting, or fascinating quality.
  6. A story or novel dealing with idealized love.
  7. An embellished account of something; an idealized lie.
  8. An adventure, or series of extraordinary events, resembling those narrated in romances.
    His life was a romance.
  9. A dreamy, imaginative habit of mind; a disposition to ignore what is real.
    a girl full of romance
  10. (music) A romanza, or sentimental ballad.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Quotations

  • For usage examples of this term, see Citations:romance.

Translations

story or novel dealing with idealized love
story relating to chivalry

Verb

romance ‎(third-person singular simple present romances, present participle romancing, simple past and past participle romanced)

  1. Woo; court.
  2. (intransitive) To write or tell romantic stories, poetry, letters, etc.

Anagrams

French

Etymology

Borrowing from Spanish romance, itself probably a borrowing from either Old French romanz or Old Provençal romans, meaning a narrative work in the vernacular speech, from Vulgar Latin *romanĭce ‎(“in a Roman manner”), compare Medieval Latin rōmānice, ultimately from Latin rōmānicus. See also roman ‎(“novel”).

Noun

romance f ‎(plural romances)

  1. a ballad; a love song

Verb

romance

  1. first-person singular present indicative of romancer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of romancer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of romancer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of romancer
  5. second-person singular imperative of romancer

Interlingua

Adjective

romance ‎(comparative plus romance, superlative le plus romance)

  1. Romance

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowing from Old Provençal romans, from Medieval Latin, Vulgar Latin rōmānicē ‎(“in a Roman manner”), from Latin rōmānicus ‎(“Roman”), from rōmānus ‎(“Roman”), from Rōma ‎(“Rome”).

Pronunciation

  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ʁo.ˈmɐ̃.si/
  • (South Brazil) IPA(key): /ho.ˈmɐ̃.se/
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ʁu.ˈmɐ̃.sɨ/
  • Hyphenation: ro‧man‧ce

Noun

romance m (plural romances)

  1. (literature) novel (work of prose fiction)
  2. romance; love affair

Synonyms

  • (love affair): caso

Derived terms

  • romance de folhetim

Related terms

Adjective

romance m, f ‎(plural romances, not comparable)

  1. (linguistics) Romance (of the languages derived from Latin)

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • reto-romance

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowing from Old Provençal romans, or Old French romanz, from Vulgar Latin *romanĭce, compare Medieval Latin rōmānice, ultimately from Latin rōmānicus < rōmānus. Cognates include Old French romanz, whence the modern French noun roman ‎(“novel”).[1]

Adjective

romance m, f ‎(plural romances)

  1. Romance

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • lengua romance

Noun

romance m ‎(plural romances)

  1. romance, love affair
  2. novel
  3. Spanish (language)

Synonyms

Verb

romance

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of romanzar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of romanzar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of romanzar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of romanzar.

References

  1. ↑ Dauzat, Albert; Jean Dubois, Henri Mitterand (1964), “romance”, in Nouveau dictionnaire étymologique (in French), Paris: Librairie Larousse

Etymology

From Old French romanz ‎(“vernacular language (of France)”), from Late Latin rōmānicē, from Latin rōmānicus < rōmānus. Extended 17c. to all languages derived from Latin.

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