limerence

• limerance

From arbitrary first element +‎ -ence. Coined by American psychologist Dorothy Tennov in 1979 as an arbitrary euphonious replacement or alteration of amorance.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈlɪməɹəns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

limerence (countable and uncountable, plural limerences)

1. (psychology) An involuntary romantic infatuation with another person, especially combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated. [from 20th c.]
   • 1977 September 11, Dorothy Tennov, The Observer:

     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.

   • 2003 December 14, Andrew G Marshall, The Observer:

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

   • 2010, Alyson Schafer, Breaking the Good mom Myth:

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

   • 2024 January 27, Amanda McCracken, The New York Times:

     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.

• infatuation

• nonlimerence

• limerent
• nonlimerent

• crush

Borrowed from English limerence.

limerence f (plural limerences)

1. (psychology, rare) limerence (state of mind caused by a romantic attraction)

   Synonym: enfatuação