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lover's knot

lover's knot

1 6.4
A knot used to show love and a close connection
  • noun
  • /ˈlʌvərz nɑt/
translation icon : nudo de los amantes
  • The lover's knot brooch was a family heirloom passed down for generations.

Examples

  • Artists often use the lover's knot as a symbol of eternal love in their designs.

  • She wore a beautiful lover's knot pendant.

  • She wore a delicate necklace featuring a lover's knot as a pendant.

  • The artist painted a lover's knot on the canvas.

  • The artisan crafted a beautiful lover's knot from colorful threads as a symbol of their devotion.

  • She wore a delicate necklace featuring a lover's knot design, representing the bond between her and her partner.

  • In the center of the table, there was a centerpiece adorned with a lover's knot to celebrate their anniversary.

Synonyms

lovers' knot
vslover's knot
7.3

A decorative knot used on jewelry to show love between two people

is identical in meaning but uses a different possessive spelling
true lovers' knot
vslover's knot
7.5

A decorative knot used as a sign of love, often seen in jewelry

is used more broadly as an emblem beyond jewelry or artwork
true lover's knot
vslover's knot
7.6

A decorative knot design that shows love and loyalty in jewelry

is about general love and affection rather than specifically fidelity
love knot
vslover's knot
5.4

A decorative loop of rope or ribbon used as a sign of love

is the general decorative symbol rather than the specific looped shape
truelove knot
vslover's knot
8.8

A way of joining two ropes used as a symbol of love

is mainly a decorative emblem rather than a functional knot for joining lines

Surface Forms

lover's knot singular
lover's knots plural

Morphology

lover's + knot

The meaning is directly compositional: 'lover's' (belonging to or associated with a romantic partner) combined with 'knot' (a tied fastening) yields a knot associated with lovers and symbolizing love. This possessive+noun naming pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Lover's knot comes from a simple picture: two cords looped and tied so they stay together, with lover and knot showing two people joined. Jewelers used this tied design in rings and necklaces to show a bond that lasts, so the lover's knot became a sign of 'love and connection'.