adj · noun · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ɹə(ʊ)ˈmæntɪk/
General-American:rō-mănʹtĭk
General-American:rō-mănʹĭk
General-American:/ɹoʊˈmæn(t)ɪk/
General-American:[ɹə-]
General-American:[-mæɾ̃ɪk]
General-American:[-meə̯ntɪk]
General-American:[-meə̯ɾ̃ɪk]
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -æntɪk
CMU ARPABET:R OW0 M AE1 N T IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of a work of literature, a writer etc.: being like or having the characteristics of a romance, or poetic tale of a mythic or quasi-historical time; fantastic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Fictitious, imaginary.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Fantastic, unrealistic (of an idea etc.); fanciful, sentimental, impractical (of a person).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Mary sighed, knowing her ideals were far too romantic to work in reality.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Having the qualities of romance (in the sense of something appealing deeply to the imagination); invoking on a powerfully sentimental idea of life; evocative, atmospheric.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Pertaining to an idealised form of love (originally, as might be felt by the heroes of a romance); conducive to romance; loving, affectionate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Their kiss started casually, but it slowly turned romantic.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: platonic, nonsexual
6
adj
Meaning 6
Alternative letter-case form of Romantic
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Experiencing romantic attraction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: allo, alloromantic
Antonyms: aromantic
8
adj
Meaning 8
Of or pertaining to Romance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adj
Meaning 9
Of or pertaining to Romanticism.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
adj
Meaning 10
Synonym of Romance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Romance
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
A person who is behaving romantically (in a manner befitting someone who feels an idealized form of love).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Oh, flowers! You're such a romantic.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
An artist involved in the Romantic movement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
adjective
Meaning 14
belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
romantic poetry
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: romanticist, romanticistic
Antonyms: none provided
15
adjective satellite
Meaning 15
expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
her amatory affairs
amorous glances
a romantic adventure
a romantic moonlight ride
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: amatory, amorous
Antonyms: none provided
16
adjective satellite
Meaning 16
not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
as quixotic as a restoration of medieval knighthood
a romantic disregard for money
a wild-eyed dream of a world state
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: quixotic, wild-eyed
Antonyms: none provided
17
noun
Meaning 17
a soulful or amorous idealist
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: idealist, dreamer
18
noun
Meaning 18
an artist of the Romantic Movement or someone influenced by Romanticism
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: romanticist
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: artist, creative person
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin Rōma Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Latin -nus Latin -ānus Latin Rōmānus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin rōmānicus Latin -ē Vulgar Latin rōmānicē Old French romanz Old French romauntder. English romant ▲ Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English romantic From romant + -ic, or borrowed from Late Latin romanticus (“(of a poem) having qualities of a romance”). Compare French romantique, which is borrowed from English. Also compare Spanish romántico, Portuguese romântico, Italian romantico, Dutch romantisch, and German romantisch and Romantiker (“a composer of Romantic music”), all of which are borrowed from English or French.
Across languages
Translations
145 source translations are retained for this English entry.
