Amoretto
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A cupid or putto (representation of a naked baby or small child, often with wings).
"1622, Henry Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman, London: Francis Constable, Chapter 12, “Andreas Orgagna,” p. 131, One of his best peeces he wrought in Pisa, which was all sorts of worldly and sensuall Epicures, rioting and banquetting vnder the shaddow of an Orenge tree, within the branches and bowes whereof, sly little Amorettos or Cupids, shooting at sundry Ladies lasciuiously dancing and dallying amongst them […]"
- 2 A love poem.
"Amoretti — a set of sonnets by Edmund Spenser describing his courtship and marriage (1595)."
- 3 A male sweetheart, lover.
"What is Life, and the best things in life, with which her Amorettoes and Idolatrous Adorers are so delighted?"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"1622, Henry Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman, London: Francis Constable, Chapter 12, “Andreas Orgagna,” p. 131, One of his best peeces he wrought in Pisa, which was all sorts of worldly and sensuall Epicures, rioting and banquetting vnder the shaddow of an Orenge tree, within the branches and bowes whereof, sly little Amorettos or Cupids, shooting at sundry Ladies lasciuiously dancing and dallying amongst them […]"
Etymology
An Italian diminutive of Amore, the god of love.
More for "amoretto"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.