god of love, late 14c., from Greek eros (plural erotes), "god or personification of love; (carnal) love," from eran, eramai, erasthai "to desire," which is of uncertain origin. Beekes suggests it is from Pre-Greek.

The Freudian sense of "urge to self-preservation and sexual pleasure" is from 1922. Ancient Greek distinguished four ways of love: erao "to be in love with, to desire passionately or sexually;" phileo "have affection for;" agapao "have regard for, be contented with;" and stergo, used especially of the love of parents and children or a ruler and his subjects.

also love-sick, "languishing with amorous desire," 1520s, from love (n.) + sick (adj.). Related: Lovesickness.

"to inflame with love, charm, captivate," c. 1300, from Old French enamorer "to fall in love with; to inspire love" (12c., Modern French enamourer), from en- "in, into" (see en- (1)) + amor "love," from amare "to love" (see Amy). Since earliest appearance in English, it has been used chiefly in the past participle (enamored) and with of or with. An equivalent formation to Provençal, Spanish, Portuguese enamorar, Italian innamorare.

1650s, "act of nibbling," from nibble (v.). As "a small bite, a morsel" from 1838.

Old English tange, tang "tongs, pincers, foreceps, instrument for holding and lifting," from Proto-Germanic *tango (source also of Old Saxon tanga, Old Norse töng, Swedish tång, Old Frisian tange, Middle Dutch tanghe, Dutch tang, Old High German zanga, German Zange "tongs"), literally "that which bites," from PIE root *denk- "to bite" (source also of Sanskrit dasati "biter;" Greek daknein "to bite," dax "biting"). For sense evolution, compare French mordache "tongs," from mordre "to bite."

1775, French, "sensitive self-love, self-esteem;" see amour and proper.

Vanity usually gives the meaning as well, &, if as well, then better. [Fowler]

Middle English had it, translated, as proper love "self-love."

"female lover, woman with whom one is in love," 1650s, from Italian innamorata "mistress, sweetheart," noun use of fem. of innamorato, past participle of innamorare "to fall in love," from in "in" (from Latin, see in) + amore "love," from Latin amor (see Amy).

1630s, "disposed to love or sexual passion," from Latin amat-, past-participle stem of amare "to love" (see Amy) + -ive. Related: Amativeness.

"male lover; man who is in love," 1590s, from Italian innamorato, noun use of masc. past participle of innamorare "to fall in love" (see inamorata).