one love
What is the opposite of one love? Here is what we hold, with its meaning and related words.
Phrase — A greeting or sign-off expressing unity, goodwill and shared humanity, rooted in Jamaican speech and Rastafarian belief and spread worldwide through reggae music, most famously the Bob Marley song of that name.
How to use one love
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
one love, one heart
peace and one love
send one love
Informal, warm. Common as a sign-off in messages, captions and speech.
Etymology
From Jamaican English and Rastafarian usage, where 'one' expresses oneness of all people; carried into international English by reggae.
Full origin of one love →Frequently asked questions
What does someone mean when they say 'one love' to you?
It is a warm farewell, roughly equivalent to 'peace', 'take care' or 'much respect'. It signals goodwill and solidarity rather than romantic love, and no reply beyond 'one love' back is expected.
Is one love a romantic phrase?
Usually not. Despite the word love, it is about unity among people generally. It can be used romantically as wordplay, but the default meaning is communal.
Do you have to be Rastafarian to say it?
No. It is used widely in everyday speech well beyond Rastafari and Jamaica, though it is worth remembering where it comes from and using it sincerely rather than as decoration.
