limerence

Definitions

An involuntary romantic infatuation with another person, especially combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated.

countable, uncountable

Equivalents

9 more languages

Danskforelskelse

Italianolimerenceultrattaccamento

한국어리머런스

Македонскивљубеност

Nederlandsverliefdheid

Portuguêsenfatuaçãolimerence

Русскийвлюблённость

Svenskaförälskelse

Tagalogpagkahibangpagkahumaling

Examples

“I first used the term ‘amorance’ then changed it back to ‘limerence’ […]. It has no roots whatsoever. It looks nice. It works well in French. Take⟳ it from me it has no etymology whatsoever.”

“When someone is under the spell⟳ of limerence, not even being rejected dampens down the madness.”

“But limerence, lovely as it feels, is a time-limited event—it lasts about five years for most couples.”

“Limerence is a state of overwhelming and unexpected longing for emotional reciprocation from another human, known as a limerent object (LO), who is often perceived as perfect but unavailable.”

“I hadn't had much interest⟳ in limerence until I developed limerence when I didn't want⟳ to, when I was happily married.”

““[Dorothy] Tennov rejected the view⟳ that limerence is inherently unhealthy,” he says. “It’s a distinctive form⟳ of human longing, transformative and sometimes destabilising, yes, but not necessarily bad …”

CEFR level