Amative

adjective

prone to love or infatuation, especially physically
relating to love

Usage

Something that is amative relates to love, like a love letter or romantic gesture. Two people may possess an amative connection to each other, one that pulls them together despite opposing forces. Anything that pertains to love, especially physically, may be considered amative.

Amative is often defined with one simple word: amorous. While amative is not as familiar in everyday language as amorous, it relates to similar meanings. Amative often describes a person who is inclined to strong physical cues, like sexual desires. Naturally, people who are amative often focus on using their physical appearances to initiate attraction. They spot someone and feel lust at first sight, falling for the other based on the initial impressions they value so highly. Of course, this lust may grow into love and admiration, though it mostly roots from the physical aspects of attraction.

People who are amative often find themselves with strong, romantic yet inevitable pulls toward others. Those attractions, in turn, are amative as well. For example, a person with this trait could walk into a room and, seeing a handsome guy or a pretty girl, probably automatically feel a sense of warmth toward him or her—an amative force binding them together.

Example: The amative, handwritten letter was the perfect anniversary gift.

Example: Her amative boyfriend could not take his eyes off her at the dinner party.

Origin

Amative derived from the Medieval Latin amativus, which means "capable of love." In Latin, the roots am- and amat- mean "love" and "liking." Amative became a romantic English word in the early 17th century.

Derivative Words

Amativeness: This noun means arousal or sexual desire. Amativeness is also a concept of Phrenology; the sensation is believed to be located behind the ears on the back of the head. Strong development of this idea presents itself in a physical manner, through sexually-driven acts, while weak development portrays itself through indifference toward the object of attraction.

Example: He expressed his amativeness by kissing her.

Amatively: This adverb form describes an action done with love or sexual intent.

Example: The woman amatively toyed with her husband's hand.

In Literature

Arthur Hornblow's The Mask

Bending low until his mouth touched hers, he kissed her until her face glowed under the ardor of his amative caress.

Here, Hornblow uses amative to describe the boy's loving caress. As the character kissed the girl, he caused her to blush with amative happiness and lust.

Mnemonic

Amative romance - that's amore!