romantasy en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- [ɹoʊˈmænəsi] (uncommon)
- /ɹoʊˈmæn.tə.si/ (General-American)
- [ɹoʊˈmæ̃ɾ̃əsi] (uncommon)
- /ɹəʊˈmæn.tə.si/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Blend of romance + fantasy. The term was popularized in 2020.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) A genre of literature combining elements of both romance and fantasy.
Morgan Entrekin, chief executive of Grove Atlantic, the publisher behind last year's Booker prize-winner, Paul Lynch's Prophet Song, agrees. “The boom in [romantasy]^([sic]) has been amazing,” he says.
2024 February 17, Anna Nicolaou, quoting Morgan Entrekin, “‘Romantasy’ writer who could save publishing”, in FT Weekend (Opinion section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 9:I want @lara_adrian 's book 7.! -.- sooo bad.! Best romantasy author ever.! (:
2009 December 14, @xlittleshawty, Twitter, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:Besides appealing to hordes of existing fans, “Alchemised” has another advantage: It taps into the raging appetite for romantasy, a subgenre that blends fantasy elements like magic, fairies and dragons with love, yearning and explicit sex. In a way, the romantasy explosion — driven by the success of blockbuster authors like Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, whose series have sold millions upon millions of copies — stems from the legacy of popular young adult series like “Twilight” and “Harry Potter.”
2025 August 20, Alexandra Alter, “How Harry Potter Fans Are Driving the Romantasy Trend”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2025:[Sarah J.] Maas, whose sales jumped 51 per cent this past year and was largely credited by Bloomsbury for a 15 per cent increase in total revenue, is technically classified as sci-fi or “romantasy”.
2023 November 11, Madison Darbyshire, “Hot stuff”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 9:Well that's the typical girl in books Especially romance and "romantasy"
2017 October 29, @loneIydreams, Twitter, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:
-
(countable) A work in the genre; a romantic fantasy; a fantastical romance.
Every hostess knows Blue Willow, the lovers fleeing across the bridge, the turtle doves and all the other romantasies . . .
1928 May 16, Kaufmann’s, “Now—PINK Willow English Luncheon Ware”, in The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pa., →OCLC, page 24:Won’t you be my Valentine “romantasy”.
1989 February 11, Marc, “Companions”, in The Gazette, Montreal, Que., →ISSN, →OCLC, page F-5, column 7:Are we light-hearted? Yes—if we counter warning-weariness by reading Gerald Bullett’s romantasy: When the cat’s away
1940 August 25, Dent, “The holiday novel of the year”, in The Observer, 149th year, number 7,787, London, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2, column 6:The perfect companion to your favorite book series, this coloring book filled with fire-breathing dragons, dagger-wielding warriors, and fierce and lovely fae will make all your romantasies come true.
2024, Ana Bidault, Hannah Konetzki, Paule Ledesma, Vera Ma, Eeva Nikunen, Jenna Stark, “Color Happily Ever After”, in Romantasy: A Coloring Book, [Garden City, N.Y.]: Dover Publications, →ISBN, back cover:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| romantasies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |