Ambivalent
/æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/noun
Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something.
Did you know?Ambivalent was coined in psychology from Latin roots meaning “both” and “strong,” capturing the eerie feeling of being pulled by two equal powers at once.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
ambi-
“both, around”
Latin
Latin
valēre
“to be strong, be well”
1912
English
ambivalent
“introduced by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler for having conflicting feelings toward the same object”
Modern English
English
ambivalent
“having mixed or contradictory feelings or attitudes”
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