Etymograph

English

amorous

Amorous comes from Latin amor ‘love’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEamor1‘love’
  2. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*amōrōsus1reconstructed
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400amoros1
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500amorous1‘Amorous, loving’
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588amorous1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English amorous
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “UUho when he ſhal embrace you in his arms…”.

Earlier history not traced here. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEamorWiktionary, English amorous‘love’
  2. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*amōrōsusWiktionary, English amorousreconstructed
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400amorosWiktionary, English amorous
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500amorousWiktionary, English amorous‘Amorous, loving’
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588amorousWiktionary, English amorous. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “UUho when he ſhal embrace you in his arms…”

Linked words

through Latin amor ‘love’

amour, 7 more

Today it means

adj Inclined or having a propensity to love, or to sexual enjoyment.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “amorous”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin amor / amorous

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