paramour
Illicit romantic partner
A paramour is a person with whom someone has an illicit romantic or sexual relationship, typically outside of marriage.
The word carries connotations of secrecy and forbidden passion, appearing most often in literary or dramatic contexts rather than everyday speech.
The duchess kept a paramour in the countryside.
Though it can technically refer to either sex, paramour historically described a woman in such a relationship more often than a man.
One who seeks affection
- admirerOne who esteems another
- seducerOne who lures romantically
- wooerOne who courts another
- romancerOne who woos
lothario · swain · courter · pursuer · gallant · lover · beau · conquest
Married person's sexual betrayal
- cheatingDeceptive rule-breaking
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- unfaithfulBetraying a partner's trust
- extramaritalOutside the marriage bond
affair · two-timing · cuckold · deceiver · mistress · kept · dalliance · philandering
Concealed from authorities
- illicitProhibited by law
- forbiddenNot allowed
- secretConcealed information
- covertIntentionally concealed
hidden · surreptitious · furtive · stealthy · hush-hush · undisclosed · concealment · secrecy
suitor
One who seeks affection
romancer · lothario · swain · courter · pursuer · gallant · lover · beau · conquest · flirtation
adultery
Married person's sexual betrayal
- cheatingDeceptive rule-breaking
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- unfaithfulBetraying a partner's trust
extramarital · affair · two-timing · cuckold · deceiver · mistress · kept · dalliance · philandering · straying
clandestine
Concealed from authorities
covert · hidden · surreptitious · furtive · stealthy · hush-hush · undisclosed · concealment · secrecy · discretion
tenderness
Gentle, caring quality
attachment · fondness · embrace · caress · whisper · stolen moments · longing · cherish · adoration · warmth
ardor
Intense emotional warmth
lust · infatuation · obsession · fervor · burning · craving · rapture · ecstasy · heat · flame
- loverslover, lovers, beloved, sweethearts, sweetheart
- para- wordsparachute, paragraph, parallel, paramedic, paradise
- Romantic FiguresRomeo, Juliet, Casanova, Don Juan, Cleopatra
- romantic tropeslove interest, heartthrob, soulmate, Romeo, Juliet
- forbidden loveforbidden love, forbidden romance, illicit love, secret love, forbidden fruit
- infidelityadultery, affair, adulteress, cheating, cheater