noun
Uncommon
Romeo
ROH-mee-oh
Romeo (noun) means a passionate, devoted boyfriend or lover. Example: “He showed up with roses, playing the romeo.”
noun
1
A passionate, devoted boyfriend or lover.
"He showed up with roses, playing the romeo."
"Have you met her latest Romeo yet?"
2
A man known for seducing women, often insincerely; a womanizer.
"She warned her friend that the guy at the bar was a total romeo."
How to use Romeo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA man who plays the passionate lover — sometimes sincerely, sometimes just to seduce.
Common pairings
a real romeo
play romeo
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Word forms
- Plural
- Romeos
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He showed up with roses, playing the _____.
Etymology
From the tragic hero of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, whose name has come to stand for any passionate male lover.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for Romeo
See all rhymes for Romeo →Frequently asked questions
What does “Romeo” mean?
The word “Romeo” means a passionate, devoted boyfriend or lover. In plain terms, a man who plays the passionate lover — sometimes sincerely, sometimes just to seduce.
How do you pronounce “Romeo”?
“Romeo” is pronounced ROH-mee-oh (/ˈɹoʊmioʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “Romeo” in a sentence?
Here is “Romeo” used in a sentence: “He showed up with roses, playing the romeo.”
What part of speech is “Romeo”?
“Romeo” is a noun.
Is “Romeo” a common word?
“Romeo” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Romeo” have?
“Romeo” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a passionate, devoted boyfriend or lover.
What is the difference between calling someone a Romeo and calling them a womanizer?
Both senses of romeo describe a man's romantic behavior, but they point in opposite directions: one sense describes a passionate, devoted lover, while the other describes a man known for insincerely seducing women. Context determines which meaning is intended.
Is calling someone a "romeo" a compliment or an insult?
It depends on which sense is meant — describing someone as a devoted, passionate lover is generally positive, while calling someone a romeo in the sense of a womanizer is critical of insincere seduction.
Is romeo capitalized when used as a common noun?
When used generically to describe a type of man rather than a specific character, "romeo" is often written lowercase, though it is also frequently capitalized since it derives from a proper name.
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