Romanticizations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of portraying or interpreting something in an idealized or exaggerated manner that overlooks any negative aspects
2. A process where events or figures are described in a way that emphasizes their noble or charming qualities, often to the detriment of realism
3. The tendency to infuse a story or concept with an appealing narrative that glosses over flaws and complexities

Etymology: "Romanticization" is the plural of "romanticization," a noun built from "romantic" plus the suffix "-ization." The core of the word is "romantic," which traces back through Middle French and Old French to Latin "romanicus," meaning "in the Roman manner," from "Romanus," "Roman." Over the centuries "romance" came to name the vernacular tales written in French and other Romance languages, and "romantic" grew from that association with the fanciful, idealized narratives those tales contained. The suffix does the real work here. "-ization" comes from Late Latin "-izare," which Greek "-izein" fed into, and it turns an adjective into a verb-like action: to make something a certain way. Adding it to "romantic" gives the sense of making an event, person, or idea look more appealing and storybook-like than it was. The word's meaning therefore describes a process rather than a state, which explains why it so often appears in criticism of how history, politics, or personal reputations get retold.

Synonyms: idealization, glorification, sentimentalization, fantasization, mythologization