Word of the day, 7 December 2024: 'Limerence'

Each day brings a new opportunity to expand your vocabulary. Today’s word is sure to enrich your linguistic knowledge and offer a fresh perspective on emotions.

Limerence

Limerence refers to an intense emotional state of infatuation or obsession with another person. It’s characterized by overwhelming feelings of longing, preoccupation with the person, and a desire for reciprocation.

Unlike love, limerence often lacks depth and mutual growth. It typically fades over time, lasting anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.

Pronunciation

li.ma.runs

Origin and history

The term 'limerence' was coined by Dorothy Tennov, an American psychologist, in her 1979 book Love and Limerence: The Experience of Being in Love. Tennov introduced the word to describe the intense feelings of infatuation and obsession she observed in people experiencing romantic attraction.

Before 'limerence,' there was no word that adequately described this particular psychological state. Tennov chose the term deliberately, ensuring it carried no prior connotations. The word itself comes from the Latin 'limerentia,' meaning 'to be lovesick.'

Examples

• "Grotesquerie is front and center -- as part of the body horrors of adolescence -- but also used as shorthand for the grisly anxiety, limerence, innocence, and sinisterism of being young." -- Washington Post, 17 January 2023
• "Blanco opted for a $750 white robe by Los Angeles-based designer Limerence." -- Fox News, 21 March 2019

Synonyms

• Infatuation
• Obsession
• Crush
• Adoration
• Longing
• Passion
• Yearning
• Idealization
• Romantic fixation
• Love-sickness

This is your word for today. Hope you find it insightful and useful. Stay connected for more enriching word-of-the-day articles!