This article is about the general concept of "love". For other uses, see Love (disambiguation).

Archetypal lovers Romeo and Julietportrayed by Frank Dicksee

Part of a series on

Emotions

Affection

Anger

Angst

Anguish

Annoyance

Anticipation

Anxiety

Apathy

Arousal

Awe
Boredom

Confidence

Contempt

Contentment

Courage

Curiosity

Depression

Desire

Despair

Disappointment

Disgust

Distrust

Ecstasy

Embarrassment

Empathy

Envy
Euphoria

Fear
Frustration

Gratitude

Grief

Guilt

Happiness

Hatred

Hope

Horror

Hostility

Humiliation

Hysteria

Interest

Jealousy

Joy
Loneliness

Love

Lust

Outrage

Panic
Passion

Pity

Pleasure

Pride

Rage

Regret
Remorse

Resentment

Sadness

Saudade

Schadenfreude

Self-confidence

Shame

Shock

Shyness

Sorrow

Suffering

Surprise

Trust
Wonder

Worry

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Love is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection ("I
love my mother") to pleasure ("I loved that meal"). It can refer to an emotion of a
strong attraction and personal attachment.[1] It can also be a virtue representing
humankindness, compassion, and affection"the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the
good of another".[2] It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other
humans, one's self or animals.[3]
Non-Western traditions have also distinguished variants or symbioses of these states; words
like storge, philia, eros, and agape each describe a unique "concept" of love.[4] Love has
additional religious or spiritual meaningnotably in Abrahamic religions. This diversity of uses and
meanings combined with the complexity of the feelings involved makes love unusually difficult to
consistently define, compared to other emotional states.

Love in its various forms acts as a major facilitator of interpersonal relationships and, owing to its
central psychological importance, is one of the most common themes in the creative arts.[5]
Love may be understood as a function to keep human beings together against menaces and
to facilitate the continuation of the species.[6]
Contents
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1Definitions

2Impersonal love

3Interpersonal love
o

3.1Biological basis

3.2Psychological basis

3.3Evolutionary basis

3.4Comparison of scientific models

4Cultural views
o

4.1Ancient Greek

4.2Ancient Roman (Latin)

4.3Chinese and other Sinic cultures

4.4Persian

4.5Japanese

4.6Turkish (Shaman and Islamic)

5Religious views
5.1Abrahamic religions

5.1.1Christianity

5.1.2Judaism

5.1.3Islam

5.1.4Bah' Faith

5.2Eastern religions

5.2.1Buddhism

5.2.2Hinduism
6Political views

6.1Free love

7Philosophical views

8See also

9References

10Sources

11Further reading

12External links