Bovary (en. Bovary)

/bovaʁi/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

noun

State of dissatisfaction resulting from a gap between reality and romantic ideals.

She lived in a constant bovary, dreaming of a perfect life that did not exist.

Elle vivait dans un bovary constant, rêvant d'une vie parfaite qui n'existait pas.

Tendency towards romantic daydreaming and the quest for the ideal.

Her bovary pushed her to idealize her romantic relationships.

Son bovary la poussait à idéaliser ses relations amoureuses.

The word is derived from the name of the main character, Emma Bovary, from the novel by Gustave Flaubert.

to do a bovary

Living disappointment in the face of unrealistic expectations.

faire un bovary

to be in a bovary

Being immersed in one's idealized thoughts or dreams.

être dans un bovary

bovaryism

Attitude of incessant search for an unattainable ideal.

bovaryisme

romantic

Related to love or idealized feelings.

romantique

illusion

False perception of reality.

illusion

dream

State of mind of creating mental images, often related to desire.

rêve

Being disconnected from reality due to daydreaming.

He is so lost in his bovary that he no longer sees reality.

Il est tellement dans son bovary qu'il ne voit plus la réalité.

Idealizing a relationship without seeing its flaws.

Her bovary leads her to believe that she is perfect, even though she has her flaws.

Son bovary le conduit à croire qu'elle est parfaite, alors qu'elle a ses défauts.