affaire d'amour
LowFormal, literary
Definition
Meaning
A love affair or romantic relationship
Can also refer to a secret or illicit romantic liaison, or metaphorically to a passionate involvement with something (e.g., 'an affaire d'amour with jazz').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a direct borrowing from French. In English, it typically carries connotations of sophistication, secrecy, or intensity, and is often used to add a European or romantic flavor.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties understand and use the term similarly. It may be slightly more common in British English due to greater historical exposure to French.
Connotations
Equally sophisticated/literary in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both; considered a niche, learned term.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have an affaire d'amour (with)be involved in an affaire d'amourher affaire d'amour with...a brief affaire d'amourVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A stormy affaire d'amour”
- “More than just an affaire d'amour”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare; metaphorical use possible (e.g., 'the company's affaire d'amour with blockchain technology').
Academic
Used in literary criticism, history, or gender studies when discussing romantic themes.
Everyday
Very rare; would sound pretentious or deliberately literary.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He read about an affaire d'amour in a book.
- The novel describes a secret affaire d'amour in Paris.
- Their brief affaire d'amour ended when he moved abroad for work.
- The diplomat's illicit affaire d'amour with an attaché threatened to become a major scandal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'affair' + 'd'amour' (French for 'of love'). It's a fancy, French-sounding way to say 'love affair'.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOVE IS A JOURNEY/ADVENTURE (a secretive or exciting one).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'дело' or 'афера' (business/scam). The core meaning is роман, любовная связь.
- Remember it is a noun phrase borrowed directly from French; it is not inflected like an English noun.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in casual conversation (too formal).
- Misspelling as 'affair d'amour' (dropping the final 'e' in 'affaire').
- Pronouncing it with a strong American 'r' sound throughout.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'affaire d'amour' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is quite rare and used primarily in formal or literary contexts to add a specific, sophisticated, or European tone.
Yes, but only metaphorically (e.g., 'his affaire d'amour with vintage cars'). This usage is even more literary.
'Affair' is broader and can be neutral or negative (e.g., business affair, messy affair). 'Affaire d'amour' is exclusively romantic/loving and often implies a degree of passion or secrecy.
Often, yes. As an unassimilated foreign phrase, it is frequently italicised (affaire d'amour) in edited prose to indicate its foreign origin.