Redamancy comes from the New Latin noun redamantia, which derives from the Classical Latin verb redamō ("to requite love" or "to love back").  It combines the prefix re- ("back" or "again") with amāre ("to love"), paired with a nominal suffix indicating a state or action.  

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the English noun first appeared in the mid-1600s (recorded specifically in 1656 by antiquary and lexicographer Thomas Blount). It is a rare, largely obsolete or poetic word that has experienced modern revivals in literature and social media.

Redamancy—the act of loving in return, or a love that is fully reciprocated—is one of the most powerful thematic tools a storyteller can use. While tragic, unrequited love often gets the spotlight for creating high drama, true redamancy provides deep psychological satisfaction and drives narratives forward in distinct ways.  

It Raises the Stakes:  
When two characters share a deeply mutual, established love, they have everything to lose. Storytellers use redamancy not as a "happily ever after" finish line, but as a baseline to multiply the tension. If a character faces danger, the stakes are automatically doubled because the audience fears for both the character and the partner who loves them completely.  

It Subverts the "Will They, Won't They" Fatigue:  
When two characters share a deeply mutual, established love, they have everything to lose. Storytellers use redamancy not as a "happily ever after" finish line, but as a baseline to multiply the tension. If a character faces danger, the stakes are automatically doubled because the audience fears for both the character and the partner who loves them completely.  

It Powers Character Transformation:  
True redamancy acts as a mirror and a safe harbor. When a character is loved unconditionally and returns that love, it gives them the emotional security needed to grow. It can: 
     * Heal past traumas or insecurities. 
     * Inspire an anti-hero to seek redemption. 
     * Give a weary protagonist the strength to make a ultimate sacrifice. 

It Formulates the Ultimate Emotional Payoff:  
In stories where redamancy is hard-won, the moment of mutual realization satisfies the audience's emotional investment. After chapters or episodes of yearning, seeing two characters finally achieve a perfectly balanced, equal emotional ground provides a profound sense of catharsis and relief. 

Just the facts:

REDAMANCY – Word Nook

13 minutes ago, drpaladin said:

Romance novels thrive on redamancy. 

 

Yet another reason I avoid them.

10 minutes ago, drpaladin said:

I do keep hearing redamNancy instead, which might be mutual damnation.

Or a simple sign, it is time to check the battery of your hearing aid(s).

4 hours ago, drpaladin said:

No hearing aid. I don't know of one which tempers imagination.

@drpaladin -- do you have a slight case of dyslexia, as I do?