romantic English · revision 5194

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1659|origins=fro romanz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /rəˈmæn.tɪk/, /rəʊˈmæn.tɪk/, US /roʊˈmæn.t̬ɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|romantique|t=pertaining to romance]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from romant “a romance”, an oblique case or variant of [[fro|romanz|t=verse narrative]], the source of [[romance]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) SOED explains it as formed in English from [[romaunt]] and [[-ic]].^(SOED 2002) It displaced an earlier and rare romancical (1656).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of the nature of a literary romance, heroic or marvellous: 1659 in the OED and Barnhart, the 1650s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Fictitious, having no foundation in fact, is from 1667, and fantastic or quixotic, of projects, from 1671.^(OED 1989) Characteristic of an ideal love affair is from the 1660s.^(Etymonline) Of places, with poetic or inspiring scenery, it is by 1705.^(Etymonline) In the 18th century the word was a term of contempt, but it rose in standing until, as Trench noted in 1859, it shared with ''classical'' the whole of modern literature.^(Trench 1859) As a literary style opposed to classical it is from before 1812,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) first of schools of poetry in Germany and France,^(Etymonline) and in music from 1885.^(Etymonline) The noun, a romantic person, is first recorded in 1865,^(Barnhart 1988) and an adherent of romanticism in literature from 1827.^(Etymonline) Having a love affair as its theme, of a modern work, is from 1960.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1659 – like a literary romance.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1660s – of ideal love.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1667 – fictitious.^(OED 1989)

+ * by 1705 – of scenery.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1812 – the Romantic style.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1885 – in music.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1960 – having love as its theme.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to love or a love affair, or suitable for it: ''a romantic dinner''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Given to feelings of [[romance]] or idealized love.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Imaginative but impractical; [[idealistic]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Imaginary or not true.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(often Romantic)'' Relating to [[Romanticism]] in art, literature or music.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person with romantic ideas.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A follower of Romanticism.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[romantically]]

+ * [[romanticalness]]

+ * [[hyperromantic]]

+ * [[pseudoromantic]]

+ * [[romanticise]]

+ * [[Romanticism]]

+ * [[romanticist]]

+ * [[romanticize]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[romance]]

+ * [[Roman]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}