antiromanticism
|an-ti-ro-man-ti-cism|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti.roʊˈmæn.tɪ.sɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.ti.rəˈmæn.tɪ.sɪz(ə)m/
opposition to romanticism
Etymology
'antiromanticism' is formed by the prefix 'anti-' from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against' combined with 'romanticism' (from 'romance' via Old French 'roman') plus the suffix '-ism' from Greek '-ismos' via Latin/French.
'romance' came from Old French 'roman' (vernacular narrative), developed into English 'romance' and adjective 'romantic' in the 18th century; 'romanticism' arose to name the cultural movement, and 'anti-' was later attached to form 'antiromanticism' meaning opposition to that movement or attitude.
Initially 'romance' referred to vernacular narrative literature; over time it evolved to mean love-related sentiment and an aesthetic outlook ('romantic'), and 'antiromanticism' now denotes opposition to those romantic ideals or sentiments.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
opposition to the aesthetic and cultural movement of Romanticism (the 18th–19th-century emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the sublime).
The scholar's antiromanticism led him to criticize 19th-century poetry for its excessive sentiment.
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Noun 2
a general aversion to romantic sentiment or romanticizing (in personal relationships, literature, or culture).
Her antiromanticism made her avoid sappy love stories and declarations of undying love.
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Last updated: 2025/09/09 08:14