romanticism

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun An artistic and intellectual movement originating in Europe in the late 1700s and characterized by a heightened interest in nature, emphasis on the individual's expression of emotion and imagination, departure from the attitudes and forms of classicism, and rebellion against established social rules and conventions.
• noun Romantic quality or spirit in thought, expression, or action.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun The state or quality of being romantic; specifically, in lit., the use of romantic forms shown in the reaction from classical to medieval models which originated in Germany in the last half of the eighteenth century. Similar reactions took place at a later period in France and England. See romantic school, under romantic.
• noun Romantic feeling, expression, action, or conduct; a tendency to romance.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun A fondness for romantic characteristics or peculiarities; specifically, in modern literature, an aiming at romantic effects; -- applied to the productions of a school of writers who sought to revive certain medi�val forms and methods in opposition to the so-called classical style.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun A romantic quality, spirit or action

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun a movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization
• noun an exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure)
• noun impractical romantic ideals and attitudes