I. A lover, a friend, in an honorable sense (syn.: amans, amicus, studiosus): vir bonus amatorque noster, Cic. Att. 1, 20: “urbis, Ruris,” Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 1; so, sapientiae, Cic. Tim. fin.: “pacis,” id. Att. 14, 10: “antiquitatis,” Nep. Att. 18: “amatores Catoni desunt,” i. e. readers of his writings, Cic. Brut. 17, 66 (cf. just before: Catonem quis nostrorum oratorum legit?).—
II. In a dishonorable sense, a lover, paramour, gallant, Plaut. Rud. 2, 1, 28; so id. ib. 2, 1, 30: “amator mulierum,” id. Men. 2, 1, 43: Philocomasio amator (dat. for Philocomasii), id. Mil. 5, 38: “adulter an amator,” Cic. Cael. 20: “aliud est amatorem esse, aliud amantem,” id. Tusc. 4, 12, 27; Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 38 al.—* Used as adj.: “amatores oculi,” App. M. 5, p. 169 med.
