PsychologyAugust 30, 2026

infatuation

in-fatch-oo-AY-shun

Definition

A state of being intensely and sometimes briefly preoccupied with feelings of attraction, desire, or romantic interest toward someone other than one's established partner.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'infatuare', meaning 'to make a fool of', which combines 'in-' (into) and 'fatuus' (foolish). It originally referred to an irrational passion that clouds one's judgment.

In the news

In the article, the term describes a psychological state where individuals in a committed relationship become cognitively and emotionally absorbed by an outside attraction. It is used to distinguish internal feelings of preoccupation from physical acts of infidelity.

Emotional infidelity is linked to a surprising mix of dark and light personality traits

Read the full article ↗

PsyPost

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