Lovey-dovey describes a couple who are being very romantic in a sticky, extra way — baby voices, little names, long looks, kisses in the queue. Friends say it with a laugh. It is not serious praise. If you call two people lovey-dovey, you often mean “that is a bit much.” Magazines and everyday talk use it. You would not put it in a careful essay. It is about the show of romance, not about whether the love is real. A quiet couple who care for each other deeply may not look lovey-dovey at all. The dove in the middle is the bird people have long used as a sweet name, because doves are thought of in pairs. The word doubles the sweetness on purpose: love-y plus dove-y.