ammiratrice

Ammiratrice is the feminine noun used to describe a woman who admires someone or something. It can refer to a fan, a devotee, or a follower who expresses admiration rather than romantic love. In everyday language it is used for women who applaud the achievements, talents, or virtues of public figures, artists, writers, or heroes. The masculine counterpart is ammiratore, and the feminine form ammiratrice reflects Italian gender agreement.

The word derives from ammirare, which comes from Latin admirari meaning to wonder at or to admire. The suffix -trice forms agent nouns in Italian; thus an ammiratrice is someone who performs the act of admiring toward a particular object.

In usage, ammiratrice typically conveys genuine appreciation and respectful admiration, though in literary or gossip contexts it can suggest a “secret admirer” (ammiratrice anonima) who remains unnamed. It can also be used descriptively to describe a literary figure or persona that embodies or elicits admiration.

The concept is common in Italian poetry, journalism, and everyday conversation, and it contrasts with ammiratore (the male counterpart) as well as with innamorato, which denotes romantic love rather than admiration. The plural form is ammiratrici.

Overall, ammiratrice denotes a gender-specific, non-romantic form of admiration, applicable to a wide range of relationships between a admirer and a subject, from fans of artists to supporters of public figures.