lover

UK: /ˈlʌvə^r/ US: /ˈlʌvɚ/ ,(luv′ər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

lov•er /ˈlʌvɚ/   n. [countable]

1. a person who is in love with another.
2. a person who has a sexual or romantic relationship with another.
3. a devotee of something:
   a music lover.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

lov•er  (luv′ər), n. 

1. a person who is in love with another.
2. a person who has a sexual or romantic relationship with another.
3. a person with whom one conducts an extramarital sexual affair.
4. a person who has a strong enjoyment or liking for something, as specified:
   a lover of music.
5. a person who loves, esp. a person who has or shows a warm and general affectionate regard for others:
   a lover of mankind.

• 1175–1225; Middle English; see love, -er¹

lov′er•less, adj. 
lov′er•like′, adj. 
Synonyms

• 4. . devotee, enthusiast, fan.

Lov•er  (luv′ər), n. 

1. Biographical Samuel, 1797–1868, Irish novelist, painter, and songwriter.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lover / ˈlʌvə/ noun

1. a person who has an extramarital or premarital sexual relationship with another person
2. (often plural) either of the two people involved in a love affair
3. someone who loves a specified person or thing: a lover of music
4. (in combination): a music-lover, a cat-lover