noun

limerence

LIM-ur-unss

Limerence (noun) means an intense, involuntary infatuation with someone, marked by obsessive thoughts and a craving for the feeling to be returned. Example: “What she called love was closer to limerence.”

noun

An intense, involuntary infatuation with someone, marked by obsessive thoughts and a craving for the feeling to be returned.

"What she called love was closer to limerence."

How to Use Limerence

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishObsessive infatuation with someone, wanting them to feel the same.

When to use it

Originally a psychology term, now widespread in everyday writing about relationships.

Easily confused with

love → infatuation → obsession →

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What she called love was closer to _____.

Etymology

Coined by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to name a state she distinguished from both love and ordinary attraction.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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infatuation obsession

Related Words

obsession fetish obsessive fixation compulsion infatuation idolatry smitten

Rhymes for limerence

hence fence whence thence Spence valence absence science silence defence essence ambience

See all rhymes for limerence →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is limerence?

An involuntary, obsessive infatuation — intrusive thoughts about one person, mood swinging on any sign of reciprocation, and a craving for that feeling to be returned. It was named to distinguish this state from settled love.

What is the difference between limerence and love?

Limerence is driven by uncertainty and fixation, and typically fades. Love, as usually meant, involves knowing the other person and a stable attachment. Limerence can precede love, but it can also attach to someone barely known.

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obsession fetish obsessive fixation compulsion infatuation idolatry smitten