Definition
Courting or trying to attract someone romantically, or exaggerating or embellishing a story to make it more interesting.
Etymology
From Old French 'romaunce' (a narrative poem), which came from 'Romance' languages themselves. Originally meant a story of adventure, love evolved as the main theme of these tales.
Kelly Says
Medieval knights going on quests to win ladies' hearts created 'romances'—actual stories written to glorify love, which is why 'romanticizing' means adding magic to reality. Language was shaped by literal storytelling!
Translations
ARالعربية
الرومانسية
al-ru-ma-nsi-ya
CACatalà
romàntic
roh-man-teek
CSČeština
romantizovat
roh-man-tee-zo-vat
DADansk
romancere
roh-man-se-reh
DEDeutsch
Romanzen
roh-man-tsen
ELΕλληνικά
ρωμαντική
roh-man-tee-kee
ESEspañol
romantizar
roh-man-tee-sar
FAفارسی
عاشقانه
e-sheq-e-na
FISuomi
romantisoida
roh-man-tee-so-i-da
FRFrançais
romantiser
roh-man-te-ser
HEעברית
רומנטיקה
roh-man-ti-ka
HIहिन्दी
रोमांस करना
roh-maans kar-na
HUMagyar
romantikus
roh-man-tee-kus
IDBahasa Indonesia
romantisme
roh-man-tee-sme
ITItaliano
romantizzare
roh-man-tee-tsah-reh
JA日本語
ロマンチックにする
romantik ni suru
KKKK
романтика
roh-man-ti-ka
KMKM
រឿងស្រfarin
rweung sreh-fan
KO한국어
낭만을 품다
nangman-eul pumda
MSBahasa Melayu
romantisme
roh-man-tee-sme
NLNederlands
romantiseren
roh-man-tee-seh-ren
NONorsk
romancere
roh-man-se-reh
PLPolski
romantyzować
roh-man-tee-zoh-vat'
PTPortuguês
romantizar
roh-man-tee-sar
RORomână
romantiza
roh-man-tee-tsa
RUРусский
романтизировать
roman-tee-seer-ee-vat'
SVSvenska
romantisera
roh-man-tee-seh-ra
SWKiswahili
kutoka
koo-toh-ka
THไทย
โรแมนติก
roh-maen-tihk
TLTL
pagtatangi
pagtat-an-gee
TRTürkçe
romantikleştirmek
roh-man-ti-kle-stir-mek
UKУкраїнська
романтизувати
roh-man-tee-zu-vaty
VITiếng Việt
truyền tình
chue-n-tinh
ZUZU
ukuthanda
koo-thaan-da
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Romance culturally coded feminine pursuit; men 'pursuing' women framed as active (desired) vs. women seeking men (desperate). Power asymmetries embedded in gendered romantic narratives.
Inclusive Usage
Use to describe mutual romantic pursuit; avoid gendered scripts where one gender must initiate or one must be pursued.
Empowerment Note
Women's agency in courtship historically minimized; reclaim romance as mutual desire, not female passivity or male conquest.