a soulful or amorous idealist
"He was too romantic to accept that their love would ever face such harsh realities."
an artist of the Romantic Movement or someone influenced by Romanticism
"The critic noted that the painter's dramatic use of light and dark landscapes clearly marked him as a true romantic in the tradition of Turner."
A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
"The knight was so romantic that he spent his entire morning polishing a sword before it had even seen battle."
In plain English: A romantic is someone who shows love through sweet gestures and emotional connection instead of just physical attraction.
"They went on a romantic with their partner to celebrate their anniversary."
belonging to or characteristic of Romanticism or the Romantic Movement in the arts
"romantic poetry"
Of a work of literature, a writer etc.: being like or having the characteristics of a romance, or poetic tale of a mythic or quasi-historical time; fantastic.
"The museum curator spent hours studying the manuscript because it was written in a rare dialect of Old French, which is considered an early form of romance literature."
Of or pertaining to Romance.
In plain English: Romantic describes feelings of deep love and affection, often involving excitement and a desire to be close with someone special.
"They decided to have a romantic dinner by the lake."
Usage: Use romantic to describe works that emphasize emotion and individualism rather than strict historical accuracy. This term applies specifically when an author prioritizes feeling over factual detail in their storytelling.
The word romantic comes from the Late Latin romanticus, originally meaning "having qualities of a romance." It entered English to describe works with those specific narrative traits, while many other European languages later adopted their own versions directly from English and French.