Ambivalence Definition

ăm-bĭvə-ləns
noun
The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, object, or idea.
American Heritage
Simultaneous conflicting feelings toward a person or thing, as love and hate.
Webster's New World
Uncertainty or indecisiveness as to which course to follow.
American Heritage

The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea.

Wiktionary
Wiktionary
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Ambivalence

Noun

Singular:
ambivalence
Plural:
ambivalences

Origin of Ambivalence

  • From German Ambivalenz (“simultaneous conflicting feelings”), from Latin ambo (“both”) and valentia (“strength”), from the verb valere (“to be strong”) (see valiant). Coined 1910 by Swiss psychologist Eugen Bleuler, by 1929 had taken on a broader literary and general sense.

    From Wiktionary

  • German Ambivalenz Latin ambi- ambi- Latin valentia vigor (from valēns valent-) (present participle of valēre to be strong wal- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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