amoureuse

Amoureuse is the feminine form of the French adjective amoureux, meaning “in love” or “romantic.” As an adjective, amoureuse describes a feminine subject that is in love; the masculine form is amoureux. The plural forms are amoureux (masculine) and amoureuses (feminine). The term can also function as a noun: une amoureuse refers to a female lover, while un amoureux refers to a male lover; the plural nouns are des amoureux or des amoureuses, depending on gender.

Etymology and form: amoureuse is derived from amour, the French word for love, which itself comes from Latin amor. The masculine and feminine forms arise through standard French gender agreement, with -eux/-euxe endings producing the masculine and feminine adjective forms respectively. The feminine noun form uses the -euse suffix common to many agent nouns and adjectives.

Usage: amoureuse describes someone who is in love or demonstrates romantic feelings. Examples include phrases like elle est amoureuse de lui (she is in love with him). As a noun, it can designate a female lover. In everyday French, amoureuse appears in both neutral descriptions of romantic states and literary or lyrical contexts, where it often carries a slightly poetic or affectionate nuance.

See also: amitié and amour are related concepts in French expressions of affect; amoureusement is the adverbial form meaning “lovingly.” The distinction between amoureux and amoureuse mirrors standard French gender grammar, and mirrors broader patterns of adjective-noun agreement in Romance languages.