Amorets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Small cherubic figures often depicted as winged infants representing love or affection; miniature ornamental motifs symbolizing romantic or playful affection; artistic representations of cupid-like beings associated with passion and tenderness
2. Tiny angelic childlike forms signifying love and desire; decorative elements featuring little winged babies to express affection; iconography of love's playful spirits depicted as youthful winged creatures
3. Little cupid-like statues or images symbolizing amorous feelings; art pieces portraying small winged infants embodying romantic sentiment; figures used in design to represent affectionate or loving qualities

Etymology: "Amorets" is the plural of "amoret," and the singular has a more interesting pedigree than its meaning suggests. It comes from Old French "amorette," a diminutive of "amour" (love), so the word is essentially "little love." English borrowed it through Middle English as "amorette," and the form carried the same sense of something small and affectionate. The diminutive ending does the work here. French often attached "-ette" to a noun to make it smaller, dearer, or more playful, as in "fillette" (little girl). Applied to "amour," it turned abstract love into a charming little personification, which suits the figures it names: the winged infants of classical and Renaissance art who stand for Cupid's many small arrows and passions.

Synonyms: cupids, cherubs, lovebirds, paramours