valentine
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Val·en·tine
(văl′ən-tīn′), Saint fl. third century ad. Roman Christian who according to tradition was martyred during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Claudius II. Saint Valentine's Day was primarily celebrated in his honor, but was also inspired by another martyr named Valentine, who was bishop of Terni, a region in central Italy.
val·en·tine
(văl′ən-tīn′)n.
1.
a. A sentimental or humorous greeting card sent to a sweetheart, friend, or family member, for example, on Saint Valentine's Day.
b. A gift sent as a token of love to one's sweetheart on Saint Valentine's Day.
2. A person singled out especially as one's sweetheart on Saint Valentine's Day.
[After Saint Valentine.]
Word History: Lovers and the greeting card industry may have Geoffrey Chaucer to thank for the holiday that warms the coldest month. In the late 1300s, we begin to find the first clear references to a tradition relating February 14, St. Valentine's Day, to romantic love: St. Valentine's Day is the day on which the birds, returning in the very early spring, choose their mates. (Spring was often thought to begin in the middle of February in 14th-century Europe.) Although reference books abound with references to Roman festivals from which St. Valentine's Day may derive, there is in fact very little evidence of such a connection between ancient pagan customs and the modern holiday. Moreover, there are several saints named Valentine in the Christian tradition, but there is nothing in particular in the life stories of any of these Valentines that might have inspired the late medieval traditions surrounding St. Valentine's Day. The scholar Jack B. Oruch has therefore suggested that Chaucer was probably the first to link the saint's day with the custom of choosing sweethearts. No such link has been found before the writings of Chaucer and several literary contemporaries who also mention it, but after them the association becomes widespread. Oruch proposes that Chaucer, the most imaginative of his literary circle, invented it. The earliest description of the tradition may occur in Chaucer's Parlement of Foules, composed around 1380, which takes place on Seynt Valentynes day, / Whan every foul [bird] cometh there to chese [choose] his make [mate].
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
valentine
(ˈvælənˌtaɪn)n
1. a card or gift expressing love or affection, sent, often anonymously, to one's sweetheart or satirically to a friend, on Saint Valentine's Day
2. a sweetheart selected for such a greeting
Valentine
(ˈvælənˌtaɪn)n
(Biography) Saint. 3rd century ad, Christian martyr, associated by historical accident with the custom of sending valentines; bishop of Terni. Feast day: Feb 14
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
val•en•tine
(ˈvæl ənˌtaɪn)n.
1. a card or message, usu. amatory or sentimental, or a gift sent by one person to another on Valentine's Day, sometimes anonymously.
2. a sweetheart chosen or greeted on this day.
3. a written or other artistic work, message, etc., expressing affection.
[1400–50; late Middle English, after the feast of Saint Valentine]
Val•en•tine
(ˈvæl ənˌtaɪn)n.
Saint, died A.D. c270, Christian martyr at Rome.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
valentine
- Formerly a person chosen as a sweetheart or special friend, named for either of two Italian saints.See also related terms for sweetheart.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | ![]() |
2. | ![]() greeting card - a card sent to express personal greetings |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
حَبيب، حَبيبَه
-ádárekpsaníčkoValentýnvyvolený
kærestekærestebrevValentin
Valentin
Valentinus
BálintBálint-napi üdvözletBálint-napkor választott kedves
kærasti, kærasta; valentínusarkort
Valentinus
meilės laiškelis
mīļotāmīļotaisValentīna dienas apsveikums
ValentijnValentinus
Valentím
Valentin
darčekvyvolený
Valentin
valentine
[ˈvæləntaɪn] N1. (St) Valentine's Day → día m de San Valentín, día m de los enamorados (14 febrero)
2. (also valentine card) → tarjeta f del día de San Valentín, tarjeta f de los enamorados (enviada por jóvenes, sin firmar, de tono amoroso o jocoso)
3. (= person) → novio/a m/f (escogido el día de San Valentín)
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
valentine
[ˈvæləntaɪn] nCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
valentine
n (= person) Freund(in), dem/der man am Valentinstag einen Gruß schickt; valentine (card) → Valentinskarte f; St Valentine’s Day → Valentinstag m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
valentine
[ˈvælənˌtaɪn] n (card) biglietto di auguri per San Valentino; (sweetheart) → innamorato/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
valentine
(ˈvӕləntain) noun a sweetheart chosen, or a card, love letter etc sent, on St. Valentine's Day, February 14. Will you be my valentine?; He sent her a valentine.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.