Fancy vs. Love — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 25, 2023
Fancy" generally refers to liking or being attracted to someone or something, often on a superficial level. "Love," on the other hand, is a deep, affectionate, and enduring emotional connection or commitment to someone or something.
Difference Between Fancy and Love
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The word Fancy, in the context of emotion or affection, typically denotes a form of liking or attraction, often transient and superficial. It’s usually a fleeting emotion that may not necessarily evolve into something more profound or enduring. Fancy can be whimsical, based on external appearances or transient feelings, and may not involve a deeper understanding or connection with the object of affection. On the other hand, Love is a much deeper, more meaningful and substantial emotion. It implies a profound connection, commitment, and understanding. It's a feeling that encompasses care, attachment, respect, trust, and acceptance.
While Fancy may refer to a temporary desire or want, it could be based on whims or superficial traits, and it doesn’t necessarily involve a deeper emotional connection. It might lack the elements of commitment and continuity that are inherently present in love. Conversely, Love is about forming an enduring bond and emotional connection, often involving a deeper understanding and acceptance of each other’s virtues and flaws. It is usually considered a more serious and profound emotion compared to fancy, involving a level of commitment and loyalty that goes beyond surface-level attraction.
Fancy is often lighthearted and can be fleeting, arising quickly and perhaps fading away just as rapidly, without leaving a significant impact. It often does not involve a deeper level of understanding or a commitment to forge a lasting bond. In contrast, Love is an enduring and significant feeling, capable of inspiring actions, sacrifices, and major life decisions. It represents a bond that is built on understanding, trust, and mutual respect, often growing and strengthening over time.
In summation, while Fancy is more of a fleeting and surface-level attraction or liking, Love represents a deeper, more meaningful, and enduring connection. Fancy can be whimsical and transient, often based on external or superficial traits, whereas love is profound, encompassing a range of emotions and commitments, and is generally more enduring and substantial.
Comparison Chart
Nature
Superficial and often transient.
Deep, profound, and enduring.
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Commitment
Lacks serious commitment.
Involves serious commitment and loyalty.
Basis
Often based on whims or appearances.
Based on deeper understanding and connection.
Impact
Might be fleeting without significant impact.
Has a significant and lasting impact.
Development
May not evolve into something deeper.
Can grow and develop over time.
Compare with Definitions
Fancy
Fancy is a light, often transient liking or attraction.
She has a fancy for exotic chocolates.
Love
It represents a profound emotional connection and commitment.
They pledged their love for each other.
Fancy
Fancy might represent something expensive or high-quality.
He has a fancy car parked in his driveway.
Love
Love can denote a feeling of intense attraction and passion.
They fell in love at first sight.
Fancy
Highly decorated
A fancy hat.
Love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the love of a mother differs from the love of a spouse, which differs from the love of food.
Fancy
Complex or intricate
The fancy footwork of a figure skater.
Love
A strong feeling of affection and concern toward another person, as that arising from kinship or close friendship.
Fancy
Elegantly fashionable or sophisticated
A fancy restaurant.
A fancy way of asking for a loan.
Love
A strong feeling of affection and concern for another person accompanied by sexual attraction.
Fancy
Of superior grade; fine
Fancy preserves.
Love
A feeling of devotion or adoration toward God or a god.
Fancy
Excessive or exorbitant
Paid a fancy price for the car.
Love
A feeling of kindness or concern by God or a god toward humans.
Fancy
Bred for unusual qualities or special points.
Love
Often Love(Christianity) Charity.
Fancy
The mental faculty through which whims, visions, and fantasies are summoned up; imagination, especially of a whimsical or fantastic nature.
Love
Sexual desire or activity
The pleasures of love.
A night of love.
Fancy
Something imagined or invented by the mind
"As the fancies that kept crowding in upon him only made him more excited, he got out of bed and tried to think." (Sherwood Anderson).
Love
An instance of being in love
Teenage loves can be as fleeting as they are intense.
Fancy
A capricious liking or inclination
I have a fancy for a glass of wine.
Love
A person for whom one has strong feelings of affection
She met her new love at the restaurant.
Fancy
A romantic liking or interest
She's taken a fancy to you.
Love
Used as a term of endearment for such a person.
Fancy
The enthusiasts or fans of a sport or pursuit considered as a group.
Love
An intense emotional attachment to something, as to a pet or treasured object.
Fancy
The sport or pursuit, such as boxing, engaging the interest of such a group.
Love
An expression of one's affection
Send him my love.
Fancy
To have a liking or enthusiasm for
Fancies sports cars.
Love
A strong predilection or enthusiasm
A love of language.
Love for the game of golf.
Fancy
To have a desire or inclination for
Would you fancy a cup of coffee?.
Love
The object of such an enthusiasm
The outdoors is her greatest love.
Fancy
To take a romantic interest in (someone)
Do you think he fancies her?.
Love
Love(Mythology) Eros or Cupid.
Fancy
To imagine or suppose
"I fancy she is an exceedingly proud woman" (Jane Austen).
Love
(Sports) A score of zero, as in tennis.
Fancy
The imagination.
Love
To feel love for (a person)
We love our parents. I love my friends.
Fancy
An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
Love
To feel sexual love for (a person).
Fancy
An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
Love
To feel devotion to (God or a god).
Fancy
A whim.
I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.
Love
To feel or show kindness or concern to (a person). Used of God or a god.
Fancy
Love or amorous attachment.
He took a fancy to her.
Love
To have an intense emotional attachment to
Loves his house.
Fancy
The object of inclination or liking.
Love
To embrace or caress
They were loving each other on the sofa.
Fancy
Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.
The cat fancy
Love
To have sexual intercourse with.
Fancy
The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.
Love
To like or desire enthusiastically
Loves swimming.
Fancy
A diamond with a distinctive colour.
Love
To thrive on; need
The cactus loves hot, dry air.
Fancy
That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
Love
To feel love or sexual love for another.
Fancy
A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.
A French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies
Love
(uncountable) A deep caring for the existence of another.
Fancy
(obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
Love
(uncountable) Strong affection.
Fancy
In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).
Love
A profound and caring affection towards someone.
A mother’s love is not easily shaken.
My husband’s love is the most important thing in my life.
Fancy
Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones.
This is a fancy shawl.
Love
Affectionate, benevolent concern or care for other people or beings, and for their well-being.
Fancy
Of a superior grade.
This box contains bottles of the fancy grade of jelly.
Love
A feeling of intense attraction towards someone.
I have never been in love as much as I have with you.
Fancy
Executed with skill.
He initiated the game-winning play with a fancy deked saucer pass to the winger.
Love
A deep or abiding liking for something; an enthusiasm for something.
My love of cricket knows no bounds.
Fancy
(colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
I'm not keen on him and his fancy ideas.
Love
(countable) A person who is the object of romantic feelings; a darling, a sweetheart, a beloved.
Fancy
(obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.
Love
A term of friendly address, regardless of feelings.
Hello love, how can I help you?
Fancy
(nonstandard) In a fancy manner; fancily.
Love
A thing, activity, etc. which is the object of one's deep liking or enthusiasm.
Fancy
(formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
I fancy your new car, but I like my old one just fine.
Love
(euphemistic) Sexual desire; attachment based on sexual attraction.
Fancy
(British) would like
I fancy a burger tonight for dinner.
Do you fancy going to town this weekend?
Love
(euphemistic) Sexual activity.
Fancy
To be sexually attracted to.
I fancy that girl over there.
Love
An instance or episode of being in love; a love affair.
Fancy
To imagine, suppose.
[dated] I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.
I fancy this is an error.
Fancy meeting you here!
Fancy that! I saw Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy kissing in the garden.
You won't get the gig just because you fancy yourself a musician.
Love
Used as the closing, before the signature, of a letter, especially between good friends or family members, or by the young.
Fancy
To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.
Love
(obsolete) A thin silk material.
Fancy
To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
Love
A climbing plant, Clematis vitalba.
Fancy
(transitive) To breed (animals) as a hobby.
Love
Zero, no score.
So that’s fifteen-love to Kournikova.
Fancy
The faculty by which the mind forms an image or a representation of anything perceived before; the power of combining and modifying such objects into new pictures or images; the power of readily and happily creating and recalling such objects for the purpose of amusement, wit, or embellishment; imagination.
In the soulAre many lesser faculties, that serveReason as chief. Among these fancy nextHer office holds.
Love
Nothing; no recompense.
Fancy
An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea; conceit.
How now, my lord ! why do you keep alone,Of sorriest fancies your companoins making ?
Love
To have a strong affection for (someone or something).
I love my spouse.
I love you!
I love that song!
Fancy
An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; caprice; whim; impression.
I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children.
Love
(transitive) To need, thrive on.
Mold loves moist, dark places.
Fancy
Inclination; liking, formed by caprice rather than reason; as, to strike one's fancy; hence, the object of inclination or liking.
To fit your fancies to your father's will.
Love
(transitive) To be strongly inclined towards something; an emphatic form of like.
I love walking barefoot on wet grass;
I'd love to join the team;
I love what you've done with your hair
Fancy
That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
London pride is a pretty fancy for borders.
Love
To care deeply about, to be dedicated to (someone or something).
Fancy
A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
At a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the fancy.
Love
(transitive) To derive delight from a fact or situation.
I love the fact that the coffee shop now offers fat-free chai latte.
Fancy
To figure to one's self; to believe or imagine something without proof.
If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.
Love
To have sex with (perhaps from make love).
I wish I could love her all night long.
Fancy
To love.
Love
A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness; as, the love of brothers and sisters.
Of all the dearest bonds we proveThou countest sons' and mothers' loveMost sacred, most Thine own.
Fancy
To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine.
He whom I fancy, but can ne'er express.
Love
Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex.
He on his sideLeaning half-raised, with looks of cordial loveHung over her enamored.
Fancy
To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
Love
Courtship; - chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e., to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage.
Demetrius . . . Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,And won her soul.
Fancy
To believe without sufficient evidence; to imagine (something which is unreal).
He fancied he was welcome, because those arounde him were his kinsmen.
Love
Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or desire; fondness; good will; - opposed to hate; often with of and an object.
Love, and health to all.
Smit with the love of sacred song.
The love of science faintly warmed his breast.
Fancy
Adapted to please the fancy or taste, especially when of high quality or unusually appealing; ornamental; as, fancy goods; fancy clothes.
Love
Due gratitude and reverence to God.
Keep yourselves in the love of God.
Fancy
Extravagant; above real value.
This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.
Love
The object of affection; - often employed in endearing address; as, he held his love in his arms; his greatest love was reading.
Open the temple gates unto my love.
Fancy
Something many people believe that is false;
They have the illusion that I am very wealthy
Love
Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus.
Such was his form as painters, when they showTheir utmost art, on naked Lores bestow.
Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love.
Fancy
Fancy was held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than imagination
Love
A thin silk stuff.
Fancy
A predisposition to like something;
He had a fondness for whiskey
Love
A climbing species of Clematis (Clematis Vitalba).
Fancy
Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy
Love
Nothing; no points scored on one side; - used in counting score at tennis, etc.
He won the match by three sets to love.
Fancy
Have a fancy or particular liking or desire for;
She fancied a necklace that she had seen in the jeweler's window
Love
Sexual intercourse; - a euphemism.
A little western flower,Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound;And maidens call it love-in-idleness.
Fancy
Not plain; decorative or ornamented;
Fancy handwriting
Fancy clothes
Love
To have a feeling of love for; to regard with affection or good will; as, to love one's children and friends; to love one's country; to love one's God.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.
Fancy
It can refer to a whimsical desire or preference.
I fancy going to the beach today.
Love
To regard with passionate and devoted affection, as that of one sex for the other.
Fancy
Fancy can denote a superficial attraction to someone.
He fancies the new girl in his class.
Love
To take delight or pleasure in; to have a strong liking or desire for, or interest in; to be pleased with; to like; as, to love books; to love adventures.
Wit, eloquence, and poetry.Arts which I loved.
Fancy
It can also imply elaborate or intricate design.
The fancy dress she wore attracted a lot of attention.
Love
To have the feeling of love; to be in love.
Love
A strong positive emotion of regard and affection;
His love for his work
Children need a lot of love
Love
Any object of warm affection or devotion;
The theater was her first love
He has a passion for cock fighting
Love
A beloved person; used as terms of endearment
Love
A deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction;
Their love left them indifferent to their surroundings
She was his first love
Love
A score of zero in tennis or squash;
It was 40 love
Love
Sexual activities (often including sexual intercourse) between two people;
His lovemaking disgusted her
He hadn't had any love in months
He has a very complicated love life
Love
Have a great affection or liking for;
I love French food
She loves her boss and works hard for him
Love
Get pleasure from;
I love cooking
Love
Be enamored or in love with;
She loves her husband deeply
Love
Have sexual intercourse with;
This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm
Adam knew Eve
Were you ever intimate with this man?
Love
Love is a deep, enduring affection and attachment to someone or something.
Her love for her children is unconditional.
Love
It also implies care, respect, and understanding.
His love for humanity inspired his philanthropic efforts.
Love
Love can symbolize the highest moral value in various cultures and religions.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
Common Curiosities
Can you Fancy multiple things at once?
Yes, it’s possible to fancy multiple things or people simultaneously.
Can Fancy turn into Love?
Yes, in some cases, what starts as a fancy can evolve into deeper, more meaningful love.
Is Love always romantic?
No, love can be experienced in various forms like familial love, platonic love, and self-love besides romantic love.
Does Love always last forever?
Not necessarily, while love is generally more enduring, it can change or end over time.
Can you Fancy someone and not want a relationship?
Yes, fancying someone doesn’t necessarily mean wanting a committed relationship with them.
Is Love a choice or a feeling?
It’s debated, but many argue that love is a feeling that can be nurtured and chosen every day.
Can Fancy be considered a mild form of Love?
It could be considered as such in some cases, but it generally lacks the depth and commitment associated with love.
Is Fancy more superficial than Love?
Yes, fancy is generally more superficial and transient compared to love.
Is the feeling of Fancy instantaneous?
It can often be instantaneous, arising quickly based on attraction or whims.
Is Fancy always temporary?
Often it is temporary and based on superficial traits, but it can potentially develop into something more enduring.
Can Love exist without liking?
It’s generally considered essential to have a liking for someone to truly love them.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
