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Lover vs Spouse - What's the difference?

lover | spouse |

As nouns the difference between lover and spouse

is that lover is one who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, or girlfriend while spouse is a person's husband or wife.

As a verb spouse is

(dated) to wed; to espouse.

lover

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (dialectal or obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, or girlfriend.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Love is blind, and lovers cannot see / The pretty follies that themselves commit.
  • A sexual partner.
  • A person who loves something.
    • a lover of fine wines
    a lover of his country
    • All right, me lover?

    Synonyms

    * (one who loves and cares) love, love interest, sweetheart, significant other, see also * (sexual partner) See * (person who loves something) connoisseur * (any friend) See

    Derived terms

    * lover's lane / lovers' lane

    spouse

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person's husband or wife.
    • People should treat their spouses with respect.
  • * Spenser
    • At last such grace I found, and means I wrought, / That I that lady to my spouse had won.

    Derived terms

    * spousal (pos a)

    Verb

  • (dated) To wed; to espouse.
  • * 1819 , , Otho the Great , Act III, Scene II, verses 212-214
    • Do you stand possess’d
    Of any proof against the honourableness
    Of Lady Auranthe, our new-spoused daughter?

    Anagrams

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