Emotion: Definition, Usage & Key Examples

Meaning 1：inner feeling (emotion)

emotion 🔊

/ɪˈməʊʃn/

It's what you feel inside, like happiness, sadness, anger, or fear. Emotions can make you laugh, cry, or change how you act.

Emotion illustrated by diverse faces showing joy, love, and contemplation with a symbolic heart connection.

inner feeling 🔊

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/ˈɪnər ˈfiːlɪŋ/

An emotion is a complex psychological state that involves a subjective experience, a physiological response, and often an expressive or behavioral response. It is a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'emovere', meaning 'to move out, stir up'. The prefix 'e-' means 'out', and 'movere' means 'to move'. It literally refers to feelings being 'moved out' or stirred up from within.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'E-MOTION': 'Energy in MOTION'. Your feelings (joy, anger) are like energy moving inside you, which sometimes moves you to act.

📖 Example

The movie was so touching that it brought out a strong mix of emotion in the audience, from laughter to tears. 🔊 The film's powerful narrative evoked a rich blend of feelings among the viewers, ranging from joy to sorrow.

🔗 Collocations

show emotion – to let your feelings be visible to others

overwhelming emotion – a feeling that is so strong it is difficult to control or handle

mixed emotions – having conflicting feelings about something

🔄 Synonyms

feeling (n.) – A general term for an emotional state or reaction.

sentiment (n.) – A view or attitude toward a situation, often based on feeling.

passion (n.) – A very strong feeling, especially of love, anger, or enthusiasm.

🚫 Antonyms

apathy (n.) – Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern; absence of emotion.

indifference (n.) – Lack of interest, concern, or sympathy; emotional detachment.

🌱 Derivatives

emotional (adj.) – Relating to a person's emotions; readily showing or arousing feeling.

emotive (adj.) – Arousing or able to arouse intense feeling.

emotionless (adj.) – Showing or feeling no emotion.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'emotion' entered English from French 'émotion', tracing back to the Latin 'emotio' (a moving, agitation). This Latin root captures the original concept of feelings as a form of inner motion or disturbance. In modern culture, the term is central to psychology and self-help discourse, particularly in concepts like 'Emotional Intelligence' popularized by Daniel Goleman, highlighting the modern focus on understanding and managing one's own and others' feelings.