ambivalent
English edit
Etymology edit
Back-formation from ambivalence, from German Ambivalenz, from Latin ambi- (“in two ways”) + valeō (“be strong”); equivalent to ambi- + -valent.
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA(key): /æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/
Audio (Southern England) (file) Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file)
Adjective edit
ambivalent (comparative more ambivalent, superlative most ambivalent)
- Simultaneously experiencing or expressing opposing or contradictory feelings, beliefs, or motivations.
- Alternately having one opinion or feeling, and then the opposite.
- His feelings toward his parents are ambivalent.
Usage notes edit
Ambivalent is commonly used to denote having conflicting emotions instead of lacking emotions. More appropriate alternatives for a lack of emotion would be indifferent and apathetic.
Synonyms edit
- (simultaneously experiencing or expressing opposing feelings): conflicted, uncertain, undecided, unresolved
- (alternately feeling opposing feelings): vacillating, fluctuating, wavering
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from German ambivalent.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
ambivalent (comparative ambivalenter, superlative ambivalentst)
- ambivalent (simultaneously experiencing conflicting drives) [from early 20th c.]
Inflection edit
Inflection of ambivalent | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | ambivalent | |||
inflected | ambivalente | |||
comparative | ambivalenter | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | ambivalent | ambivalenter | het ambivalentst het ambivalentste | |
indefinite | m./f. sing. | ambivalente | ambivalentere | ambivalentste |
n. sing. | ambivalent | ambivalenter | ambivalentste | |
plural | ambivalente | ambivalentere | ambivalentste | |
definite | ambivalente | ambivalentere | ambivalentste | |
partitive | ambivalents | ambivalenters | — |
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
- → Indonesian: ambivalen
French edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from German ambivalent, from Latin ambi- + Latin valentem, the latter from the verb valeō.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
ambivalent (feminine ambivalente, masculine plural ambivalents, feminine plural ambivalentes)
Further reading edit
- “ambivalent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
German edit
Etymology edit
From ambi-, ambo and valens (inflected valent-), valeo.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
ambivalent (strong nominative masculine singular ambivalenter, comparative ambivalenter, superlative am ambivalentesten)
- ambivalent
- Seine Gefühle ihr gegenüber sind ambivalent, sowohl positiv als auch negativ.
- His feelings to her are ambivalent, positive as well as negative.
Declension edit
Related terms edit
Further reading edit
- “ambivalent” in Duden online
- “ambivalent” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Romanian edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French ambivalent.
Adjective edit
ambivalent m or n (feminine singular ambivalentă, masculine plural ambivalenți, feminine and neuter plural ambivalente)
Declension edit
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | ambivalent | ambivalentă | ambivalenți | ambivalente | ||
definite | ambivalentul | ambivalenta | ambivalenții | ambivalentele | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | ambivalent | ambivalente | ambivalenți | ambivalente | ||
definite | ambivalentului | ambivalentei | ambivalenților | ambivalentelor |