Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the
most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection and to the
simplest pleasure.[1][2] An example of this range of meanings is that the love of a mother
differs from the love of a spouse, which differs from the love of food. Most commonly,
love refers to a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment.[3]
Love is considered to be a positive and negative: with its virtue representing
human kindness, compassion, and affection, as "the unselfish loyal and benevolent
concern for the good of another"; and its vice representing human moral flaw, akin
to vanity, selfishness, amour-propre, and egotism, as it potentially leads people into a type
of mania, obsessiveness or codependency. [4][5] It may also describe compassionate and
affectionate actions towards other humans, one's self or animals. [6] In its various forms,
love acts as a major facilitator of interpersonal relationships and, owing to its central
psychological importance, is one of the most common themes in the creative arts.[7] Love
has been postulated to be a function to keep human beings together against menaces
and to facilitate the continuation of the species.[8]
Ancient Greek philosophers identified five forms of love: essentially, familial
love (in Greek, Storge), friendly love or platonic love (Philia), romantic love (Eros), guest
love (Xenia) and divine love (Agape). Modern authors have distinguished further varieties
of love: unrequited love, empty love, companionate love, consummate love, infatuated
love, self-love, and courtly love. Numerous cultures have also
distinguished Ren, Yuanfen, Mamihlapinatapai, Cafuné, Kama, Bhakti, Mettā, Ishq, Chesed, A
more, Charity, Saudade (and other variants or symbioses of these states), as culturally unique
words, definitions, or expressions of love in regards to a specified "moments" currently
lacking in the English language.[9][10][11]
Scientific research on emotion has increased significantly over the past two decades.
The color wheel theory of love defines three primary, three secondary and nine tertiary
love styles, describing them in terms of the traditional color wheel. The triangular theory of
love suggests "intimacy, passion and commitment" are core components of love. Love
has additional religious or spiritual meaning. This diversity of uses and meanings
combined with the complexity of the feelings involved makes love unusually difficult to
consistently define, compared to other emotional states.
The word "love" can have a variety of related but distinct meanings in different contexts. Many
other languages use multiple words to express some of the different concepts that in English are
denoted as "love"; one example is the plurality of Greek words for "love" which
includes agape and eros.[12] Cultural differences in conceptualizing love thus doubly impede the
establishment of a universal definition.[13]
Although the nature or essence of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the
word can be clarified by determining what isn't love (antonyms of "love"). Love as a general
expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of like) is commonly contrasted with hate (or
neutral apathy). As a less-sexual and more-emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment,
love is commonly contrasted with lust. As an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones,
love is sometimes contrasted with friendship, although the word love is often applied to close
friendships or platonic love. (Further possible ambiguities come with usages "girlfriend",
"boyfriend", "just good friends").
Fraternal love (Prehispanic sculpture from 250–900 AD, of Huastec origin). Museum of
Anthropology in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Abstractly discussed, love usually refers to an experience one person feels for another. Love
often involves caring for, or identifying with, a person or thing (cf. vulnerability and care theory
of love), including oneself (cf. narcissism). In addition to cross-cultural differences in
understanding love, ideas about love have also changed greatly over time. Some historians date
modern conceptions of romantic love to courtly Europe during or after the Middle Ages,
although the prior existence of romantic attachments is attested by ancient love poetry.[14]
The complex and abstract nature of love often reduces discourse of love to a thought-terminating
cliché. Several common proverbs regard love, from Virgil's "Love conquers all" to The Beatles'
"All You Need Is Love". St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, defines love as "to will the
good of another."[15] Bertrand Russell describes love as a condition of "absolute value," as
opposed to relative value.[citation needed] Philosopher Gottfried Leibniz said that love is "to be
delighted by the happiness of another."[16] Meher Baba stated that in love there is a "feeling of
unity" and an "active appreciation of the intrinsic worth of the object of
love."[17] Biologist Jeremy Griffith defines love as "unconditional selflessness".[18]
Impersonal
The word "love" can have a variety of related but distinct meanings in different contexts. Many
other languages use multiple words to express some of the different concepts that in English are
denoted as "love"; one example is the plurality of Greek words for "love" which
includes agape and eros.[12] Cultural differences in conceptualizing love thus doubly impede the
establishment of a universal definition.[13]
Although the nature or essence of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the
word can be clarified by determining what isn't love (antonyms of "love"). Love as a general
expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of like) is commonly contrasted with hate (or
neutral apathy). As a less-sexual and more-emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment,
love is commonly contrasted with lust. As an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones,
love is sometimes contrasted with friendship, although the word love is often applied to close
friendships or platonic love. (Further possible ambiguities come with usages "girlfriend",
"boyfriend", "just good friends").
Fraternal love (Prehispanic sculpture from 250–900 AD, of Huastec origin). Museum of
Anthropology in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Abstractly discussed, love usually refers to an experience one person feels for another. Love
often involves caring for, or identifying with, a person or thing (cf. vulnerability and care theory
of love), including oneself (cf. narcissism). In addition to cross-cultural differences in
understanding love, ideas about love have also changed greatly over time. Some historians date
modern conceptions of romantic love to courtly Europe during or after the Middle Ages,
although the prior existence of romantic attachments is attested by ancient love poetry.[14]
The complex and abstract nature of love often reduces discourse of love to a thought-terminating
cliché. Several common proverbs regard love, from Virgil's "Love conquers all" to The Beatles'
"All You Need Is Love". St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, defines love as "to will the
good of another."[15] Bertrand Russell describes love as a condition of "absolute value," as
opposed to relative value.[citation needed] Philosopher Gottfried Leibniz said that love is "to be
delighted by the happiness of another."[16] Meher Baba stated that in love there is a "feeling of
unity" and an "active appreciation of the intrinsic worth of the object of
love."[17] Biologist Jeremy Griffith defines love as "unconditional selflessness".[18]
Impersonal
The word "love" can have a variety of related but distinct meanings in different contexts. Many
other languages use multiple words to express some of the different concepts that in English are
denoted as "love"; one example is the plurality of Greek words for "love" which
includes agape and eros.[12] Cultural differences in conceptualizing love thus doubly impede the
establishment of a universal definition.[13]
Although the nature or essence of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the
word can be clarified by determining what isn't love (antonyms of "love"). Love as a general
expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of like) is commonly contrasted with hate (or
neutral apathy). As a less-sexual and more-emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment,
love is commonly contrasted with lust. As an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones,
love is sometimes contrasted with friendship, although the word love is often applied to close
friendships or platonic love. (Further possible ambiguities come with usages "girlfriend",
"boyfriend", "just good friends").
Fraternal love (Prehispanic sculpture from 250–900 AD, of Huastec origin). Museum of
Anthropology in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Abstractly discussed, love usually refers to an experience one person feels for another. Love
often involves caring for, or identifying with, a person or thing (cf. vulnerability and care theory
of love), including oneself (cf. narcissism). In addition to cross-cultural differences in
understanding love, ideas about love have also changed greatly over time. Some historians date
modern conceptions of romantic love to courtly Europe during or after the Middle Ages,
although the prior existence of romantic attachments is attested by ancient love poetry.[14]
The complex and abstract nature of love often reduces discourse of love to a thought-terminating
cliché. Several common proverbs regard love, from Virgil's "Love conquers all" to The Beatles'
"All You Need Is Love". St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, defines love as "to will the
good of another."[15] Bertrand Russell describes love as a condition of "absolute value," as
opposed to relative value.[citation needed] Philosopher Gottfried Leibniz said that love is "to be
delighted by the happiness of another."[16] Meher Baba stated that in love there is a "feeling of
unity" and an "active appreciation of the intrinsic worth of the object of
love."[17] Biologist Jeremy Griffith defines love as "unconditional selflessness".[18]
Impersonal
