love

What is #love anyway?

14th Feb 2020

Every year on the fourteenth of February the world celebrates the idea of love. If you look up ‘love’ in Collins English Dictionary, you will find the word defined as ‘an intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or thing’. But love also appears in… Read More

The language of love: 5 ways to express your love on Valentine’s Day

14th Feb 2018

In the words of Shakespeare, ‘speak low if you speak love’. Or shout it from the rooftops, whichever you prefer. The most romantic day of the year is upon us, and if you’re celebrating with loved ones this Valentine’s Day, it’s time to pick up your pen and let your… Read More

Love Island lingo: Collins’ guide to the top 10 words & phrases

14th Jul 2017

With over a million viewers tuning in six nights a week and more than 183 million tweets about the show, Love Island lingo is working its way into the nation’s lexicon. This year’s show has welcomed a wide range of islanders from Essex, Manchester and as far north as… Read More

Discover the language of luuuurve with Paul Noble

14th Feb 2017

Language should never stand in the way of LOVE! – here’s a helping hand from language expert Paul Noble so you can charm the Senoritas, Monsieur’s and gente meravigliosa’s (beautiful people) of the world!… Read More

Happy Valentine’s Day! We take a look at the etymology behind the word ‘valentine’

14th Feb 2017

Valentine The fourteenth of February is Saint Valentine’s Day, when lovers send each other cards and gifts known as valentines. Although the name of Valentine is now synonymous with lovers, there is no certain connection between the celebration of romantic love and historical figure of Saint Valentine, a… Read More

The Power of Love: 10 Romantic Words for #BFILoveFest

19th Nov 2015

In honour of the #BFILoveFest this weekend – a UK-wide celebration of LOVE in TV and film – this week we take a look at the etymology of 10 commonly used romantic words. Drawing on #BFILoveFest’s themes of The Power of Love, Fools for Love and Fatal Attractions, we… Read More

Language be the Food of Love

24th May 2015

New scrabblicious words that can really give your game some bite… AFFOGATO (Italian) a dessert made by pouring espresso coffee over ice cream ROASTIES roast potatoes GUMMI a rubbery, flavoured candy… Read More

Words of Endearment

14th Feb 2015

It’s Valentine’s Day! We hope you have a lovely day with – or find – your sweetheart! To improve your chances this year, we’ve put together this list of terms of endearment from around the world. 1. Portuguese Brazilian: “chuchuzinho” Chuchu is the Portuguese word for… Read More

Happy Valentines Day! Here are some international terms of endearment for your beloved

14th Feb 2014

It’s Valentine’s Day! We hope you have a lovely day with, or find, your sweetheart! With the help of Collins language guru Paul Noble and Collins Dictionary consultants, we’ve put together this list of terms of endearment from other languages and cultures. So why not spice up your day by… Read More