Romance, rō-mans′, n. a general name for those modern languages in southern Europe which sprang from a corruption of the Roman or Latin language—Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Provençal, French, Roumanian, Romansch, &c.: a tale written in one of these dialects: any fictitious and wonderful tale: a fictitious narrative in prose or verse which passes beyond the limits of real life: a ballad.—adj. belonging to the dialects called Romance.—v.i. to write or tell romances: to talk extravagantly: to build castles in the air.—ns. Roman′cer, Roman′cist.—adjs. Roman′cical (Lamb), dealing with romance; Roman′ic, Romance: derived from the Roman alphabet. [O. Fr. romans—Low L. adv. (loqui) romanice, (to speak) in the Roman or Latin tongue—L. Romanicus, Roman.]
Romanesque, rō-man-esk′, n. that which pertains to romance: (archit.) the style of round-arched and vaulted architecture which succeeded Roman architecture, from about the time of Constantine (c. 350 A.D.) till it was gradually superseded by Gothic in the 12th century: the dialect of Languedoc. [Fr.,—Sp. Romanesco—L. Romanicus.]
Romansch, rō-mansh′, n. the language spoken from the Grisons to Friuli on the Adriatic.—Also Rhæ′to-Roman′ic.
Romant, rō-mant′, v.i. to romance: to exaggerate.—n. a romance—generally Rōmaunt′.
Romantic, rō-man′tik, adj. pertaining to or resembling romance: fictitious: extravagant, wild: fantastic: sentimental: imaginative.—adv. Roman′tically.—ns. Roman′ticism, the revolt from the severity, pedanticism, and commonplaceness of a classical or pseudo-classical to a more picturesque, original, free and imaginative style in literature and art, marking the close of the 18th century: romantic feeling; Roman′ticist; Roman′ticness.
Romany, Rommany, rom′a-ni, n. a gipsy: the language of the gipsies.—adj. belonging to the gipsies.—Romany rye, a gentleman who affects the society of gipsies. [Gipsy, rom, man.]
Romero, rō-mā′rō, n. the pilot-fish.
Romic, rō′mik, n. a phonetic notation devised by Henry Sweet, based upon the original Roman values of the letters, supplemented by turned and ligatured letters and diagraphs—in part a recasting of Ellis's Glossic.
Romp, romp, v.i. to play noisily: to skip about in play.—n. a girl who romps: rude frolic.—adv. Romp′ingly, in a romping manner: boisterously: rudely.—adj. Romp′ish, fond of romping or noisy play.—adv. Romp′ishly.—n. Romp′ishness. [Ramp.]
Rompu, rom-pū′, adj. (her.) fracted. [Fr.]