Have you ever wondered if there is a difference between love and adoration? If you haven’t, you should probably start thinking about it. On the other hand, if you have, this article on “adore vs. love” should be interesting to read.
“Love” is profound caring and affection towards someone or something. Another definition of love is an object of warm affection, devotion, or a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction. In contrast, “adore” means profound love/ fondness. It is a verb “to worship with profound reverence or honor.”
Is it different when someone tells you they love or adore you? Most people use these words interchangeably. The only way to use these words and be sure you will not confuse them is to read this article to completion. You will discover these words’ meanings and usage in sentences.
Definitions Of Adore And Love
Many will claim that love is one of the most complex words to define because it is an intangible feeling. However, since this word exists in the dictionary, it does have a definition. Also, you will be surprised to know that this word has over half a dozen definitions. The same applies to the word “adore.” So, let us kick off this article with the definitions of “love” and “adore.”
Definition Of Adore
Adore is a transitive verb meaning “to worship” God or a higher power. Also, it means “to worship or pay divine honors with profound reverence.” For instance, the Bible mentions this word severally regarding God and worship. In a sentence, “Come all and let us adore him.”
Another meaning of “adore” is “to love someone with your entire heart and soul or regard them with deep respect and affection.” In a sentence, “All the foster kids adore their mother for her kindness and unconditional love.”
Adore also means “to love in the highest degree or regard someone with utmost esteem and affection.” That is to idolize someone or love intensely. In a sentence, “The students adore their Chemistry teacher more than any other adult in the facility.”
Definition Of Love
Love is an uncountable noun referring to “a strong affection.” It is “a deep and kind liking to something or someone.” In a sentence, “A mother’s love is a vital element in a child’s life.”
Another definition of love is an intense attraction toward someone. It may be sexual or non-sexual, maternal, paternal, or friendly. Here is an example in a sentence, “I love my parents just as much as I love my siblings.”
Love also refers to “a deep or abiding liking or enthusiasm for something.” For instance, “My love for basketball kept me going during the lockdown.”
Love is also a countable noun, as “a person who is the object of romantic feelings.” For instance, “my love or love of my life.” It is also a term used to address someone you have feelings for. In a sentence, “Nice to meet you, love.”
Another meaning of love is an illustration or episode of being in love, like “a love affair or a love child.” This definition is common in Britain. Also, love is a closing statement, before a signature, in a letter, especially between good friends or family members. An example is “love, Jerry.” Love is also the name for a climbing plant scientifically known as Clematis Vitalba.
How To Properly Use Adore And Love In A Sentence
The several meanings in the section above may seem overwhelming when you read them for the first time. However, you will realize they are all closely related with a second look. Therefore, understanding the context in which you can use these words is easy.
How To Use The Word Adore
Adore is a verb. Therefore, when using it in a sentence, you should follow the rules for verb applications.
For instance, you should use an active voice when using a verb. This means that the verb should come before the subject. In a sentence, “Jane adores her cat” (Active voice), instead of “The cat is adored by Jane” (Passive Voice).
How To Use The Word Love
Unlike “adore,” you can use “love” in a sentence as a verb or noun, depending on the context. Kindly refer to the tips explained in the section above when using this word as a verb.
Also, when using “love” as a noun, you should first determine if you want to use the word as a subject or object in a sentence. For instance, “A mother’s love is a gift from God.” Here, love is the object. “Love is a powerful emotion.” In this sentence, love is the subject.
Adore vs. Love: The Differences You Need to Know
From the definitions, the difference between these words is that love refers to affection or profound care for someone, while “adore” means to love profoundly. Also, love relates to individuals and items, while adore is about a higher power or a person.
Besides the definition, you may care to note that love is primarily a noun. However, in some instances, you can use it as a verb. Adore is exclusively a verb.
Another difference between these words is their history and etymology. The word “adore” originates from the Late 14th century term “aouren,” meaning “to worship, pay divine honors, or bow down before.” Other sources link the word to the Old French term, “aorer,” meaning “to worship or praise.”
Another source explains that the first version of this word was Latin “Adoro,” meaning “to worship, honor, or revere,” which was translated to Old French as “aorer,” meaning “to praise or pray to.” Later, Middle English translated the Old French version to “aouren,” which finally became “adore” in the 1880s.
Love, as a noun, originates from the Old English term, “lufu,” meaning romantic sexual attraction, friendliness, or affection.” Over several centuries, variations and translations of this word have emerged. However, the first known use of the current English variation “love” was in the early 1500s.
Note that love is a mono-syllable word. This means that it only has one syllable. In contrast, adore has two syllables, “a-dore,” and the second syllable is the stressed one. The correct pronunciation for love is “/luv/” while the right way to say “adore” is “/a-dor/.”
Examples Of Adore And Love Use In Sentences
When learning new words, linguists recommend researching sentences containing these words to help you understand them better and their applications. So, here are some sentence examples:
Example sentences with the word adore
- Mark and I adore each other.
- The Bible asks us to adore God as he adores us.
- My mother was a special lady I will always adore even though she is no longer here with us.
- Out of all my teachers, I adore Mrs. Martinez the most because of her kindness and understanding nature.
- The murder suspect maintains that he adores the victim and would never hurt her.
Example sentences with the word love
- My love for gourmet food is unexplainable.
- My heart broke when I told James I loved him, but he did not say it back.
- The kids are in love, so who are we to tear them apart?
- I married my husband because I love him and not because of his social status.
- You deprived me of a mother’s love, and I do not think I can ever forgive this.
Conclusion
Love is affection, a feeling of fondness, care, attraction, or admiration towards someone or something. In contrast, to “adore” is to worship, love profoundly, idolize, or adorn someone or a higher power. So now that you know this, you can easily define your feelings for your loved ones, partner, or family.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.