paramour
noun
par·amour
ˈper-ə-ˌmu̇r 
ˈpa-rə-
: lover
specifically
: an illicit or secret lover
a married man and his paramour
Her account put him in the position of looking like the duped lover believing the cheating married paramour's protestation of love … —
Bettina Drew
Bettina Drew 
Did you know?
Paramour came to English from French (a language based on Latin), though the modern French don't use the word. Since par amour meant "through love", it implies a relationship based solely on love, often physical love, rather than on social custom or ceremony. So today it tends to refer to the lover of a married man or woman, but may be used for any lover who isn't obeying the social rules.
Examples of paramour in a Sentence
And faster than you can say "You've got mail!" he fell hard for his unseen paramour.
—Kipp Cheng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 1998
His Vietnamese paramour was a young woman of remarkable beauty.
—Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
As the vessel made sail immediately, and landed no part of their cargo, there seemed little doubt that they were accomplices of the notorious Robertson, and that the vessel had only come into the firth to carry off his paramour.
—Walter Scott, The Heart of Midlothian, 1818
Kipp Cheng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 1998
His Vietnamese paramour was a young woman of remarkable beauty.
—Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
As the vessel made sail immediately, and landed no part of their cargo, there seemed little doubt that they were accomplices of the notorious Robertson, and that the vessel had only come into the firth to carry off his paramour.
—Walter Scott, The Heart of Midlothian, 1818
Recent Examples on the Web
Among his paramours during this period were Tina Onassis and Ava Gardner.
—Air Mail, 29 Mar. 2025
Michael Shannon, who recently performed an unusual tribute tour by playing Stipe’s role in R.E.M. with members of the band (and on some nights, Stipe himself), presented a poem Smith had written about her former paramour Sam Shepard.
—Caryn Rose, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
Also returning are Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), a drifter and paramour to Doe, and the series’ most recognizable character, the serial killer clown Sweet Tooth (played by Joe Seanoa and voiced by Will Arnett).
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025
The tabloid details of the split—Bündchen and her new martial-artist paramour knock dreamboat quarterback down a few pegs and ruin his rep—provided too much material to the sharklike comics trawling for chum.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paramour
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Air Mail, 29 Mar. 2025
Michael Shannon, who recently performed an unusual tribute tour by playing Stipe’s role in R.E.M. with members of the band (and on some nights, Stipe himself), presented a poem Smith had written about her former paramour Sam Shepard.
—Caryn Rose, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
Also returning are Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), a drifter and paramour to Doe, and the series’ most recognizable character, the serial killer clown Sweet Tooth (played by Joe Seanoa and voiced by Will Arnett).
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025
The tabloid details of the split—Bündchen and her new martial-artist paramour knock dreamboat quarterback down a few pegs and ruin his rep—provided too much material to the sharklike comics trawling for chum.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paramour
Cite this Entry
“Paramour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paramour. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
paramour
noun
par·amour
ˈpar-ə-ˌmu̇r
: a partner in a sexual relationship other than that of husband and wife
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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