Etymology (2)

🗺️Welcome back to our Language and Culture Series! 🗺️ : )) 

Today, we’re going to learn the root "am" in etymology. It comes from the Latin “amare,” meaning “to love.” This root also has its historical background: Legend has it that if the Roman god of love, “Amor” (also known as Cupid) shoots his arrow at a girl, she will soon have an “inamorato,” a boyfriend with whom she is in “love;” conversely, if Amor shoots his love arrow at a boy, he might very well soon have an “inamorata,” or girlfriend whom he now “loves.” You never know when you will be shot, so watch out! 

Besides, the word, “amiable,” means “friendly or good-natured,” and “amigo” which is Spanish for “friend” are all examples linked to this root.

🌟Some more example vocabulary related to the same root are as follows:

• enamored: charmed or fascinated; inflamed with love

• amorous: having or showing strong feelings of attraction or love

• paramour: a lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom

✨By tracing a word back to its origins, you can understand its fundamental meaning associated with its background. Keeping that in mind would make it easier to remember and comprehend the current usage of a word and its history!

References: 

Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder

https://membean.com/rootcasts/am-love/