latest flame
noun phrase

- one's most recent lover or romantic interest

---
WORD ORIGIN

Flame has long been associated with passion. Literature, both serious and not so serious, is full of references to passion in the context of heat, burning, flame, flaming and a host of other related words.

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the first recorded instance of flame in this context was as far back as the mid-1600s. Thus it's no surprise that flame is used to describe a lover. The phrase "latest flame" has just a touch of sarcasm to it, suggesting that the person leads a fairly active love life and can't seem to find a lasting relationship.

Flame appears in several other idioms, including:

an old flame - a prior romantic interest (I saw an old flame of mine last week at the supermarket.)

fan the flames - to cause anger or other bad feelings to increase (His comments only served to fan the flames and make the situation worse.)

go up in flames - to fail or come to an end suddenly or abruptly (The introduction of the new product went up in flames after a defect was discovered.)

shoot something down in flames - to strongly criticize an idea or plan, or refuse to accept it (The expansion plan was shot down in flames by the board of directors.)

like moths to a flame - if people gather round someone like moths to a flame, they try to be near someone who seems very attractive or very interesting. (He attracts attention like moths to flame because he's rich and famous.)

---
SYNONYMS
(flame)

beau (male), boyfriend, girlfriend, lover, sweetheart, mistress (female), paramour

---
Practice OWAD in a conversation:

"Just read 'Vanity Fair Magazine' if you're interested in who's whose LATEST FLAME!"