Of all the human emotions, love is the most powerful. Fear, anger, ambition, greed, and lust all have their pull, but they all play second fiddle to love. A parent will brave their worst fear, a friend will drive five hours, a brother will give up his job, a spouse will chain their lust — all for love. Love is what beats back the sad, lonely, and bitter in the world. A life without love can never be complete.
But, for such a great and prodigious thing, love is blurry, vague, and indefinite. One problem is that each of us will experience love a certain way, and we have no possible way by which to tell if others are feeling the same. Shakespeare’s love, Beyoncé’s love, and your love might overlap in essential ways, but they can appear utterly dissonant in others. We can never go on a field trip into someone’s mind to see what “love” means to them.
The second issue with love is just how broadly we use the term. We love our romantic partners, but we also love a pet, a book, a movie, God (or gods), or the sound of someone’s voice. There’s nothing so painful to the teenager’s ears as, “I love you — as a friend.” Friend zone love. Ouch.
So, how are we to unpack love? Most major traditions spend a great deal of time exploring it. The Greeks have at least four words for love; Arabic has 11. The Baha’i faith recognizes four types of love; Hindus have five. But, very broadly, we can identify three trends to how different cultures understand “love.”
Sacrificial love
In Mark 12:31, it’s written that Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s one of the most famous and most quoted lines of Christian doctrine of the last two millennia. But what did he mean by that? In the original Greek of the New Testament, there are a great many words for love. The one that Jesus chose was agape.
Agape is a sacrificial love, utterly free of ego or self-interest. It’s the kind of love that cherishes another human being simply because they’re a fellow human being. In other words, agape is a kind of well-wishing that offers up every possible benefit to a person because it recognizes that they are worthy of flourishing.
When Jesus also says that we are to love our enemies, he again uses agape. Using this understanding, he means that you are to wish the best for other people, even if you don’t particularly like them. Martin Luther King, Jr. hammers this point home in his book Strength to Love: “We should be happy that he did not say, ‘Like your enemies.’ It is almost impossible to like some people.”
In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a similar idea is found in the word maitrī. Maitrī is translated as “loving-kindness,” which means treating other people as if they are worthy of your care. Maitrī is not so much “compassion” or an ethical action, but more of a disposition toward people. It’s the opposite of bitterness, cynicism, spite, and competitiveness. Like agape, it’s wishing the best for someone else.
A labor of love
For a lot of us, when we engage in certain activities, it can feel a lot like love. When someone says, “I love hiking,” or, “I love painting,” it’s not so easy to dismiss as simply a turn of phrase. There are some activities that can evoke such passion and can transport you to some special place, that we need a word to capture that feeling.
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Of course, the Greeks have one: meraki. Meraki is when you invest your soul into an activity or hobby. It might occur when cooking a meal or playing the guitar, and the feeling of meraki borders on euphoria. It’s why, for many people, there can be a peculiar sense of grief when they come to the end of something.
For instance, as you close a book for the last time, knowing you will never again meet those characters and share their story, it can feel like you’ve lost something. You have invested so much of yourself into the story that, when it’s over, it can feel a lot like heartbreak. The same is true at the end of an artwork, a marathon, or even a work project. Meraki is why athletes cry like babies after they win (or lose) an important match. Meraki is doing a thing with love.
I love you
But, when most people think about “love,” they don’t tend to think of maitrī or meraki. The hundreds of thousands of songs, sonnets, and soliloquies out there about “love” are not devoted to the love of hobbies. Whitney Houston did not sing about her love of collecting teapots. For most people, love is the romantic kind. It’s that of boyfriends, girlfriends, sex, and eros. (There’s another Greek word.)
In Arabic, there are said to be 11 “stages” of love. First, you have simple attraction (hawa) — the look across a bar or the smile on the subway. In the early throes of infatuation (kalaf), you obsess over one another. You spend all your time together, and the bed is your home. Soon you become enslaved to your partner (taym). Your heart is theirs, and never before have you been so vulnerable. Finally, love matures into a kind of insanity (huyum) where all reason is abandoned. Love, passion, and adoration are all that matter to you.
For Plato, eros (the erotic desire for someone) is only the first, immature step toward love. The love of a body — of sex and physical beauty — is a “vulgar” love. True or “pure” love is that which sees behind the façade. It recognizes the essence of someone — the bit which makes them, them — and it adores it. Plato’s love is not blind, but rather sees into the soul of someone. It says, “I see you, I know you, and I love you for it.”
Love actually
Whichever type of love we focus on, most people agree that it’s an essential part of a happy life. From the love we get from our parents, to the love we give to our partners, our friends, and our children, love is the beautiful oddity of the human species.
Love is what motivates us to do the brilliant and brave, as well as the stupid and reckless. It’s what the sentient robots of our sci-fi future never quite understand about us. For however much love is “just” a soup of hormones, it’s still the single most important aspect of human existence.
Jonny Thomson runs a popular Instagram account called Mini Philosophy (@philosophyminis). His first book is Mini Philosophy: A Small Book of Big Ideas.
OTHER WORDS FOR love
1 tenderness, fondness, predilection, warmth, passion, adoration. 2 liking, inclination, regard, friendliness. 15 like. 16 adore, adulate, worship.
Keeping this in consideration, What is love in single line?
Originally Answered: Can we define love in a just a single line? “Affection and care without any insecurity” Love is when you’re happy for the other person’s happiness even if they’re not with you. It’s when you’re by yourself but you wish the best for the other person.
Secondly What can I say instead of I love You? What to Say Instead of “I Love You”
- Every time I look at you, I feel love and inspiration.
- I just wouldn’t feel complete without you.
- I am here for you . . . …
- You are my treasure—the most precious thing in my life.
- You’re my baby.
- I’m all yours.
- You complete me.
What love best means?
: a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person. : attraction that includes sexual desire : the strong affection felt by people who have a romantic relationship. : a person you love in a romantic way.
How can I express my love in one line?
30 Romantic 1 Liner Quotes list to send as Text Message:
- When the angels ask what I most loved about life, I’ll say you.
- Love isn’t complicated, people are.
- Roses are red violets are blue don’t cast me away because I love.
- I will never regret loving you, only believing you loved me too.
- You and me make a wonderful “WE”
What are the 3 words better than I love you?
You need to muster all your strength to utter the three words – I, Love and You – together.
What are 5 ways to say I love you?
5 Different Ways To Say “I love you“
- I can’t stop thinking about you. No one matters but you.
- I’ve got you under my skin. I lost my heart to you.
- You set my heart on fire. Words. to express: to say opinions or feelings. express in other languages. QUIZ. Teacher’s pet is ___
How do you say I love you in a cute way of texting?
More Cute Ways to Text Your Lover
Make sure you apply this in your text so that love can fly in the air; You Are Making Me Crazy. Your Voice Soothe Me. You Make Me Calm.
How do u define love?
The word is mostly used according to the first definition given in the dictionary: “an intense feeling of deep affection.” In other words, love is what one feels. … Love should be seen not as a feeling but as an enacted emotion. To love is to feel and act lovingly.
What is love in romantic way?
For example, closeness without attraction is the kind of love we feel for best friends. … Romantic love is when attraction and closeness are combined. Lots of relationships grow out of an initial attraction (a crush or “love at first sight”) and develop into closeness.
What is the 4 types of love?
The four loves
- Storge – empathy bond.
- Philia – friend bond.
- Eros – romantic love.
- Agape – unconditional “God” love.
How do you express love in text?
If you still don’t know where to start, here are some ideas to help you begin your own sweet text serenade.
- Express What You Wish You Were Doing. …
- Let Them Know When You Think Of Them. …
- Tell Them How They Make You Feel. …
- Send Them Something Only They’d Understand. …
- Lean Into The Cheesiness. …
- Tell Them A Story. …
- Send Them A Song.
How can I express my feelings for love?
Below are the most common five ways to express love.
- Gifts. Some people express and feel love through gift-giving. …
- Acts. Another way to express love is to do something kind or helpful for another person. …
- Time. Spending quality time together is also an expression of love. …
- Touch. …
- Words.
What is the strongest form of love?
Agape is the highest level of love to offer. It’s given without any expectations of receiving anything in return. Offering Agape is a decision to spread love in any circumstances — including destructive situations.
What is the strongest word for love?
15 Words That Are Stronger Than ‘Love’ And Mean Far More
- Lust – I lust after you. …
- Adore – I adore you. …
- Treasure – I treasure time with you. …
- Intimacy – I love our emotional intimacy. …
- Trust – I trust you with my heart. …
- Ally – I am your ally in life. …
- Value – I value your company. …
- Happy – You make me happy.
What are the 3 magical words?
The Three Magic Words
- Set your intention. …
- Create Agreement. …
- Eliminate or minimize distractions. …
- Speak from your experience. …
- Don’t interrupt. …
- You can be right or you can relate. …
- Thank your partner for accepting your request to talk and find something positive to acknowledge him or her for.
- Keep the dialogue alive.
What is the strongest word of love?
Affection
Affection is the ultimate expression of love and a deep love that endures the trials and tribulations of life. Affection is not so much a word you might use but us borne out by demonstrable actions. Affection can be the smallest but most significant token.
How soon is too soon to say love YOU?
According to 2020 OKCupid data on 6,000 people shared with mindbodygreen, 62% of people think you should say “I love you” “as soon as you feel it,” whereas 22% think you should wait “several months,” and 3% think you should wait “at least a year.” On average, research has found men take about three months to say “I …
How do I text romantic?
If you still don’t know where to start, here are some ideas to help you begin your own sweet text serenade.
- Express What You Wish You Were Doing. …
- Let Them Know When You Think Of Them. …
- Tell Them How They Make You Feel. …
- Send Them Something Only They’d Understand. …
- Lean Into The Cheesiness. …
- Tell Them A Story. …
- Send Them A Song.
How can I talk romantic?
Tell your partner what you like.
- Compliment their personality. Say, “I love talking to you. You always crack me up.”
- Compliment their looks. Say, “I can’t stop thinking about your eyes. Miss you.”
- Compliment their talents. Say, “You kiss me so well, it’s driving me crazy that I can’t do it right now.”
How do u prove U love someone?
There are a million ways to show the one you love just how much you care.
- Remember to flirt. …
- Listen to your lover. …
- Experience new things together. …
- Keep each other healthy. …
- Build something together. …
- Talk about your deepest feelings. …
- Go for an annual relationship check-up. …
- Remember your vows – even if you aren’t married.
What is love describe in one word?
Originally Answered: What is love in one word? Love is– unconditional. Simply being there for someone-without any questions, expectations or the want to change; accepting them for who they are and loving them completely.
What are some examples of love?
Love is defined as to show or have deep attraction, affection or emotional attachment to a person, people or thing. An example of love is showering someone with kisses. An example of love is greeting a good friend with a big hug. An example of love is watching an amazing dancer dance.
What love means to a man?
So when a man is open, giving and affectionate with a woman on an ongoing basis, it is often his way of expressing love. For him, love means meeting her needs and having his needs met as well. Still other men use sexuality to avoid or cover up areas in the relationship that might be difficult.
Love on its own depicts deep and strong affection, but if you want to add a little spice to your love life, you should read the words that follow since they describe love in a deeper context.
Going further to express your love could mean a great deal to some people, which is why we’ve given answers to this question, ”What’s a deeper word for love?”
There are other words that best describe love; we hope you find words that best suit your description of love here.
1. Affection
2. Enamored
3. Appreciation
4. Intense
5. Emotion
6. Fondness
7. Besotted
8. Enduring
9. Friendship
10. Devotion
11. Treasure
12. Unconditional
13. Cherish
14. Infatuated
15. Admire
16. Reverence
17. Sacred
18. Passionate
19. Worship
20. Deep Affection
What are Stronger Words for Love?
These are some additional words that best describe love.
1. Value
2. Caress
3. Enjoy
4. Delight
5. Idolize
6. Liking
7. Craving
8. Relish
9. Selfless
10. Enduring
11. Attachment
12. Enthusiasm
13. Loyalty
14. Lust
15. Darling
16. Beloved
17. Flair
What are Some Big Words for Love?
Love can be expressed in various ways, depending on the context or language. Read through some big beautiful words for love.
1. Adore
To have a deep affection and respect for someone
2. Desire
A great yearning to possess something or want for something to occur.
3. Cherish
To adore, guard, and take care of something or someone that is significant to you.
4. Passion
Any strong or overpowering feeling or emotion
5. Attraction
Attraction is a trait or attribute that inspires curiosity, admiration, or desire.
6. Charming
Exceptionally lovely or pleasant
7. Treasure
Something Important or vital
8. Emotion
A powerful emotion, such as love or rage
9. Fondness
A strong preference for somebody or something
10. Companion
A companion is someone who participates with you as a partner or buddy.
11. Friendship
Friendship is a long-lasting bond of closeness, respect, and trust between two people.
12. Darling
A darling is a person who is adored or admired greatly
13. Bliss
extreme joy, contentment, or happiness
14. Besotted
Being utterly in love with someone and considering them constantly
15. Intimacy
Intimacy is closeness to another individual
16. Romance
What is meant by “romance” is love for or a powerful attraction to another person.
17. Deep Affection
A sentiment of admiration and care for someone or something.
18. Tenderness
The trait of being patient, kind, or loving
19. Fanaticism
Fanaticism is an excessive and frequently unquestioning fervor, devotion, or enthusiasm for something.
20. Joy
Joy is a sensation of extreme delight and pleasure.
21. Caring
Showing compassion and consideration for others
22. Hugs
Hugs are a physical act of tightly embracing someone to express love.
23. Family
A family is a group of people related by blood. Family is having someone who will love you no matter what you are like or how you behave.
We hope that you’ve found a word that best describes your kind of love from our list of deeper words for love.
CSN Team.
Falling in love is undeniably a wonderful thing. All you need to do to get a feel for how important love can be is to turn on the radio and listen to the flood of love songs you’ll hear on the air.
Unsurprisingly, something that most people experience at least once in their lives is called by many names. We’ve collected slang words for love and related to the process of falling in love in this guide.
If love ever doesn’t feel like a good fit for what you’re feeling, it’s entirely possible one of these phrases will.
Slang Words for Love (in Alphabetical Order)
A
Ask Out
Meaning:
- (Verb): The act of inviting someone to go out with you for a romantic date. It can sometimes also mean that you’re asking someone to become your boyfriend or girlfriend.
- Example: “I’m planning on asking Beth out tomorrow night.”
Read More: Slang Words for Girlfriend
B
Bromance
Meaning:
- (Noun): Love doesn’t have to be romantic, as phrases like “bromance” prove. This word combines “bro” and “romance” to indicate a close platonic relationship between two men.
- Example: “I have a bromance going with Ed. He’s my best friend.”
More Like This: Slang Words for Friends
C
Carry a Torch for
Meaning:
- (Verb): To have a crush on someone.
- Example: “Rob carries a torch for Dan, but he won’t tell him.”
Crush
Meaning:
- (Verb): Having romantic feelings and attachment to someone without being in a relationship with them. Usually the earliest stage in romantic feelings.
- Example: “I have a huge crush on Dan, but I don’t know how to let him know!”
- (Noun): An individual you’re deeply attracted to.
- Example: “Rob is my crush.”
E
Elephant Shoes
Meaning:
- (Expression): Another way of saying, “I love you.” If you mouth “elephant shoes” at someone, it looks like you’re mouthing “I love you,” which is where the phrase comes from.
F
Falling in Lust
Meaning:
- (Verb): To develop an attraction to someone based purely on sexual desires.
- Example: “She fell in lust with Ben but didn’t know anything about him. She just thought he was hot.”
Flove
Meaning:
- (Verb): To F***ing love something. It’s an extremely enthusiastic way of saying you love something, essentially.
- Example: “I flove my boyfriend. He’s so freaking amazing.”
You May Also Like: Slang Words for Boyfriend
G
Go Out With
Meaning:
- (Verb): To meet someone for a date. It can also mean that you are in a relationship with someone.
- Example: “I’ve been going out with Jamie for a year.”
H
Head Over Heels for
Meaning:
- (Phrase): This is sort of like “to carry a torch for,” but a little bit deeper. Saying this implies that you are in love with someone.
- Example: “I’m head over heels for Becky. She’s all I think about.”
I
ILY/ILU
Meaning:
- (Phrase): Acronym for “I love you.” Generally only used in text messages.
ILYSM
Meaning:
- (Phrase): Acronym for “I love you so much.” Use it in text format, like with ILY.
L
L-Bomb
Meaning:
- (Noun): A love confession.
- Example: “He dropped the l-bomb on me this weekend. I’m not sure how I feel about it, since it was only our first date…”
LOML
Meaning:
- (Phrase): Acronym for “love of my life.” This is a title you can give to your significant other or someone you’re deeply in love with. Use this in text form rather than saying it out loud.
- Example: “My wife is the LOML.”
Love Lockdown
Meaning:
- (Noun): The state of having hidden your feelings from someone for various reasons.
- Example: “I’m in love lockdown. I can’t tell her I love her if I don’t know whether she feels the same way.”
Love Triangle
Meaning:
- (Noun): A situation in which one person is the object of affection for two different people who compete for their heart.
- Example: “Amber is in a love triangle because both Alex and Diane have a crush on her.”
Lovebird
Meaning:
- (Noun): Someone who is in love and very affectionate with another person. Usually used in the plural sense with two people being obviously affectionate towards one another.
- Example: “Look at those two lovebirds – they can’t stop staring at each other.”
Lovey Dovey
Meaning:
- (Adjective): Behaving in a way that’s very romantic and cheesy with someone.
- Example: “Can you guys stop acting all lovey dovey in front of me? I don’t want to be a third wheel.”
Luv
Meaning:
- (Verb): An alternate way of spelling love.
- Example: “Would you like it if I said I luv you?”
- (Noun): A pet name for someone.
- Example: “How did you sleep last night, luv?”
O
Olive Juice
Meaning:
- (Phrase): Another phrase that looks like “I love you” when silently mouthed.
P
Puppy Love
Meaning;
- (Noun): A state of emotion in which you think you’re in love with someone, but you don’t know them well enough yet to truly love them. This is usually reserved for young kids and teenagers experiencing their first crushes.
- Example: “She’s not really in love with him – it’s just puppy love.”
R
Rawr
Meaning:
- (Phrase): Comes from an old meme that has its origins in the emo subculture. The joke is that it’s the dinosaur word for “I love you.”
- Example: “Rawr <3 It’s dinosaur for ILY.”
S
Smitten
Meaning:
- (Adjective): The state of having a crush on or being romantically interested in someone.
- Example: “Dan is secretly smitten with Rob.”
Super Like
Meaning:
- (Verb): To love or really like someone.
- Example: “He super likes Mexican food.”
T
True Love
Meaning:
- (Noun): This can refer to the state of being deeply in love with someone or the person you’re in love with. Regardless, it implies that the feelings involved are genuine and permanent.
- Example: “Andrea is my one true love. I will never want anyone else.”
W
Wuv
Meaning:
- (Verb): Another way of spelling and pronouncing love.
Wrap Up
If you’re searching for a new way to spice up your next Valentine’s day or date, there are quite a few phrases on this list to choose from. Use whichever one catches your eye to impress the apple of your eye.
Need more words and terms to flatter someone with? You can also take a look at our guide to New York slang words for beautiful.
Fond can be considered as more than like and less than love. (Used as be fond of)
Having a strong liking, inclination, or affection: fond of ballet; fond of my nieces and nephews.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fond
Though, it might depend on the context and it can be synonymous to like also. It is usually not used in a romantic relationship and you can both love and be fond of someone. For example, you can both love your niece and be fond of him because you like to spend time with him.
Other than that, infatuation can be considered as an early stage of a true love (used as infatuated with) but it is not necessarily between like and love. It is called puppy love also.
For example, an urbandictionary entry says:
Infatuation consists of people thinking they are in love but when indeed it is just a deep lust or like for another person.
Also, attraction can be stronger than like and weaker than love. (used as attracted to). Though it is usually a physical attraction and you can be attracted to someone you don’t like. (an emotional irony?)
In the end, it might be better to use several words to explain the emotion than using a single word that might not be enough. There are different situations and contexts.