From romant + -ic, or borrowed from Late Latin romanticus (“(of a poem) having qualities of a romance”).

• (British) IPA: /ɹəʊˈmæntɪk/, /ɹə-/
• (America) enPR: rō-mănʹ(t)ĭk, IPA: /ɹoʊˈmæn(t)ɪk/, [ɹoʊˈmæntɪk], [ɹə-], [-mæɾ̃ɪk], [-meə̯ntɪk], [-meə̯ɾ̃ɪk]

romantic

1. (chiefly historical) 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. [from 17th c.]
2. (obsolete) Fictitious, imaginary. [17th]
3. Fantastic, unrealistic (of an idea etc.); fanciful, sentimental, impractical (of a person). [from 17th c.]

   Mary sighed, knowing her ideals were far too romantic to work in reality.

   • 1993 May 16, “Return to New York”, in Jeeves and Wooster, Series 3, Episode 6:

     R. Jeeves: In my experience, ladies who spell Gladys with a W are seldom noted for their reliability, sir. It gives them romantic notions.
     B.W. Wooster: With a W, Jeeves? No, no, no, no. You spell it with a G.
     R. Jeeves: If I might draw your attention to the signature on the portrait, sir.
     B.W. Wooster: Good Lord! G-W?
     R. Jeeves: I blame Alfred Lord Tennyson and his Idylls of the King. It also accounts for Kathryn, Ysabel, and Ethyl, all spelt with a Y, but Gwladys is a particularly virulent form, sir.

4. Having the qualities of romance (in the sense of something appealing deeply to the imagination); invoking on a powerfully sentimental idea of life; evocative, atmospheric. [from 17th c.]
   • 1851 November 13, Herman Melville, chapter 1, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC ↗:

     But here is an artist. He desires to paint you the dreamiest, shadiest, quietest, most enchanting bit of romantic landscape in all the valley of the Saco.

   • 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:

     Somehow she wasn't a real sister, but that only made her the more romantic.

5. Pertaining to an idealised form of love (originally, as might be felt by the heroes of a romance); conducive to romance; loving, affectionate. [from 18th c.]

   Antonyms: platonic, nonsexual

   Their kiss started casually, but it slowly turned romantic.

6. Alternative form of Romantic [from 18th c.]
7. Experiencing romantic attraction. [from 21st c.]

   Synonyms: allo, alloromantic

   Antonyms: aromantic

• nonromantic, unromantic, antiromantic, aromantic

• French: romantique
• German: romantisch
• Italian: romantico
• Portuguese: romântico
• Russian: романти́ческий
• Spanish: romántico

• French: romantique
• German: romantisch
• Italian: romantico
• Portuguese: romântico
• Russian: романти́чный
• Spanish: romántico

• French: romantique
• German: romantisch
• Italian: romantico
• Portuguese: romântico
• Russian: романти́чный
• Spanish: romántico

romantic (plural romantics)

1. A person with romantic character (a character like those of the knights in a mythic romance).
2. A person who is behaving romantically (in a manner befitting someone who feels an idealized form of love).

   Oh, flowers! You're such a romantic.

• French: romantique
• German: Romantiker, Romantikerin
• Italian: romantico
• Portuguese: romântico
• Russian: рома́нтик
• Spanish: romántico, romántica

• French: romantique
• German: Romantiker, Romantikerin
• Italian: romantico
• Portuguese: romântico

romantic

1. Of or pertaining to Romance.
2. Of or pertaining to Romanticism.
3. (informal, linguistics) Synonym of Romance

• German: romantisch
• Spanish: romántico