What is the meaning of the word "romantic"? Despite the fact that it is often used both in literature and in everyday life, it is rather difficult to give it an exhaustive definition. Therefore, it would be advisable to find out the meaning of the word “romantic” from the explanatory dictionary.
Follower of romanticism
Such is the meaning of the word "romantic" in the explanatory dictionary. Rather, this is one of his interpretations. Now consider what the dictionary says about this same romanticism. There are three options.
The first of them is an art history term, which denotes one of the literary trends that appeared in the 17th - early 19th centuries. It fought against the classical canons and highlighted the human personality with its feelings and experiences. Often in this direction, the authors used folk-poetic and historical motifs.
Example: “The main ideas of romanticism are such as recognition of the spiritual values of each individual person and his right to freedom and independence. In such works, the heroes are people with a strong, rebellious character, and the plots are distinguished by a bright glow of passions. ”
Second option
It implies the designation of a method for reproducing reality, characterized by its idealization. Example: “In applying the method of romanticism in art and literature, the subjective position of the author in relation to the life phenomena portrayed by him prevails. He gravitates not so much to the reflection of reality, to its reproduction, but to its re-creation. This term itself came from the word "novel", that is, it meant the special role of fiction, arbitrariness - not as in life, but as in a book. "
Romanticism as a worldview
In the third version, it is a person’s worldview, his state of mind, which is characterized by idealization of the world, contemplation, daydreaming, and special sensitivity. Example: “It was safe to say about Anna that this girl was not alien to romanticism, she was very gentle, dreamy, thoughtful. At the same time, others often chuckled at her idealized perception of the world. ”
Thus, having examined in detail the interpretation of the term “romanticism”, one can easily understand the meaning of the word “romantic”, which is interpreted as a follower of romanticism.
Now another interpretation of the word being studied.
In a figurative sense and among young people
In a figurative sense, this is a person who is distinguished by a romantic mood, likes to dream and sees the world in a "pink light". That is, a person prone to romance. Example: “Alexander Petrovich was an incorrigible romantic all his life: he gave women luxurious bouquets of flowers, dedicated poetry to them, sang serenades, what he saw around him filled his sensitive soul with delight, and his eyes with tears of joy.”
There is also a variant of the word under study, when the emphasis is not on the second, but on the third syllable - Romantik. In the dictionary, it is marked as “neologism” (a neoplasm that was previously absent) and “youth”. Today they designate a date, which is a dinner of lovers or people who want to meet, held in a romantic setting. Example: “Natalya advised her brother knowingly, stating that he should arrange for his bride Lyudmila a real romance with champagne, candles and flowers. Only then will he have a chance at reconciliation. ”
In conclusion, studying the meaning of the word "romantic" consider its origin.
Etymology
In the dictionary of Max Fasmer the following version is presented. The word comes from the French noun romantique, which came from another noun - roman, "romance". The latter was formed from the old French romanz, which means "romance". And this word, in turn, came from the Latin romanus, "Roman", whose root Roma is "Rome". Its origin is unknown.