emotion (n.)

1570s, "a (social) moving, stirring, agitation," from French émotion (16c.), from Old French emouvoir "stir up" (12c.), from Latin emovere "move out, remove, agitate," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away"). The sense of "strong feeling" is recorded by 1650s; extended to any feeling by 1808.

also from 1570s

Entries linking to emotion

emote (v.)

"portray or express emotion," especially theatrically, 1909, American English, back-formation from emotion. Related: Emoted; emoting.

emoticon (n.)

"pictorial representation of a facial expression using punctuation or other keyboard characters," by 1992, apparently from emotion + icon.

An emoticon is an emotional icon, or a pictorial representation of the emotions of the moment. These are most commonly created on one line using the symbols on the keyboard. Humor is often denoted with the smiley face :-) which is more obvious if you tilt your head to the left. ["Acronyms, Emoticons, and Lurkers," PC Magazine, August 1992]

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Trends of emotion

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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affection

c. 1200, affeccioun, "desire, inclination, wish, intention;" mid-14c., "an emotion of the mind, passion, lust as opposed...to reason;" from Old French afection (12c., Modern French affection) "emotion, inclination, disposition; love, attraction...

religiosity

In late 19c. especially "religious sentimentality, excessive susceptibility to religious emotion without corresponding regard...

palpitation

Specifically of unnatural rapid beating or pulsation of the heart (excited by emotion, disease, etc.) by c. 1600....

passion

In Middle English also "an ailment, disease, affliction;" also "an emotion, desire, inclination, feeling; desire to sin considered...The specific meaning "intense or vehement emotion or desire" is attested from late 14c., from Late Latin use of passio to...render Greek pathos "suffering," also "feeling, emotion."...The specific sense of "sexual love" is attested by 1580s, but the word has been used of any lasting, controlling emotion...

thrill

Meaning "give a shivering, exciting feeling" is first recorded 1590s, via metaphoric notion of "pierce with emotion."...

intention

Also in Middle English "emotion, feelings; heart, mind, mental faculties, understanding."...

cold-blooded

also coldblooded; 1590s, of persons, "without emotion, wanting usual sympathies, unfeeling;" of actions, from 1828....

dearth

c. 1300, derthe "scarcity of food," of other situations of scarcity by mid-14c., abstract noun from root of Old English deore "precious, costly" (see dear) + abstract noun suffix -th (2). A common Germanic formation, though not always with the same sense (Old Saxon diurtha "splen

thread

Old English þræd "fine cord, especially when twisted" (related to þrawan "to twist"), from Proto-Germanic *thredu- "twisted yarn" (source also of Old Saxon thrad, Old Frisian thred, Middle Dutch draet, Dutch draad, Old High German drat, German Draht, Old Norse þraðr), literally "

ire

c. 1300, from Old French ire "anger, wrath, violence" (11c.), from Latin ira "anger, wrath, rage, passion," from PIE root *eis- (1), forming various words denoting passion (source also of Greek hieros "filled with the divine, holy," oistros "gadfly," originally "thing causing mad

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updated on December 07, 2023

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Dictionary entries near emotion

emoji

emollient

emolument

emote

emoticon

emotion

emotional

emotionless

emotive

empanada

empanel