courtship
Suitor's careful campaign
Courtship is the period when two people pursue a romantic relationship, especially with marriage as the goal.
The word sounds old-fashioned now—dating has largely replaced it for humans.
But courtship remains standard for animal mating behavior: The peacock's courtship display, courtship rituals among birds.
A courtship can also be any careful pursuit of favor: the company's courtship of investors.
Ritualized movements seeking reproduction
- displayPresentation for viewing
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- pheromonesSpecies-specific chemical messengers
- peacockOrnate pheasant relative
bowerbird · leks · strutting · preening · grooming · serenade · pair bond · nest building
Love and its excitement
- amourRomantic liaison, often illicit
- passionIntense emotional drive
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
- ardorIntense emotional warmth
yearning · desire · enchantment · devotion · fondness · intimacy · tenderness · affection
One who seeks affection
- admirerOne who esteems another
- wooSeek romantic favor
- pursueFollow to catch
- chaseRapid following of quarry
gallantry · proposal · engagement · intentions · attention · persistence · devotion · quest
Specific day or outing
- dinnerPrimary evening meal
- movieRecorded visual narrative
- coffeeBrewed bean beverage
- textingSending typed mobile messages
conversation · chemistry · attraction · compatibility · connection · meeting · outing · rendezvous
Playful romantic attention
- flirtingPlayfully showing romantic interest
- charmAttractive personal quality
- allureAttractive, tempting quality
- coquetteTeasing, insincere charmer
tease · enticement · come-on · coquetry · beguile · bewitch · temptation · come-hither
mating dance
Ritualized movements seeking reproduction
- displayPresentation for viewing
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- pheromonesSpecies-specific chemical messengers
peacock · bowerbird · leks · strutting · preening · grooming · serenade · pair bond · nest building · territory
romance
Love and its excitement
- amourRomantic liaison, often illicit
- passionIntense emotional drive
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
ardor · yearning · desire · enchantment · devotion · fondness · intimacy · tenderness · affection · adoration
suitor
One who seeks affection
chase · gallantry · proposal · engagement · intentions · attention · persistence · devotion · quest · ardent
date
Specific day or outing
texting · conversation · chemistry · attraction · compatibility · connection · meeting · outing · rendezvous · matchmaking
flirtation
Playful romantic attention
- flirtingPlayfully showing romantic interest
- charmAttractive personal quality
- allureAttractive, tempting quality
coquette · tease · enticement · come-on · coquetry · beguile · bewitch · temptation · come-hither · lady-killer
- romancelove story, amor, love, boyfriend, girlfriend
- bird ecologybird habitats, bird migration, nesting, breeding, bird conservation
- ornithologyornithology, ornithologist, birding, bird watching, bird species
- Jane Austen themespride, vanity, manners, matchmaking, social climbing
- Renaissance Romancelove sonnets, tragic love, love poetry, star-crossed lovers, romantic quest
- sexual customssexual norms, sexual taboos, marriage customs, virginity, chastity
courtshipbreakup
Romantic relationship's termination
divorce · separation · estrangement · dissolution · split
courtshiprejection
Denial of acceptance
rebuff · spurning · avoidance · shunning · cold shoulder
courtshipone-night stand
Casual sexual encounter
hookup · casual sex · fling · no-strings-attached · friends with benefits
- courtship ritualBehavior to attract partners
- courtship danceRitual movements seeking partners
- courtship displaysBehaviors to attract mates
- courtship songsVocal displays for attracting mates
- courtship behaviorMate-attraction rituals