infatuation
in-fat-yoo-AY-shun
/ɪnˌfætʃuˈeɪʃən/
An intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something.
Infatuation implies a lack of judgment; it is the 'foolish' stage of love where one is blinded by surface-level traits.
The story behind the word. The word comes from the Latin 'infatuare,' meaning 'to make a fool of.' It shares a root with 'fatuous,' reminding us that when we are infatuated, we are essentially 'fools' for love.
Word relationships
- crush: 'Crush' is more informal and usually implies a younger person's feelings.
- obsession: 'Obsession' is much stronger and often has negative, unhealthy connotations.
- indifference: A complete lack of interest or passion.
Commonly confused with
- love: Love is enduring and deep, whereas infatuation is fleeting and superficial.
Word family
- infatuate (verb): To inspire with a foolish or extravagant love.
- infatuated (adjective): Possessed by an intense but short-lived passion.
Collocations
- brief infatuation
- youthful infatuation
- passing infatuation
Example sentences
- "It wasn't true love, but a summer infatuation that faded as soon as school started." Describing a teenage crush.
- "Infatuation is when you find somebody who is absolutely perfect. Love is when you realize that they aren't and it doesn't matter." A classic literary observation. (Unknown (often attributed to various relationship experts))
Memory hook
Think of someone who is 'in' a 'fatuous' (foolish) state. In-fatu-ation: being 'in' a 'fatuous' (foolish) state of mind.
When not to use
Do not use this for long-term, stable relationships; it specifically denotes a temporary, often obsessive state.
Fun facts
- In the 17th century, 'infatuate' could also mean to literally make someone lose their wits or become stupid.
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