Word of the Day : October 9, 2018

ambivalent \am-BIV-uh-lunt\ adjective

Definition

: having or showing simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward something : characterized by ambivalence

Did You Know?

The words ambivalent and ambivalence entered English during the early 20th century in the field of psychology. They came to us through the International Scientific Vocabulary, a set of words common to people of science who speak different languages. The prefix ambi- means "both," and the -valent and -valence parts ultimately derive from the Latin verb valēre, meaning "to be strong." Not surprisingly, an ambivalent person is someone who has strong feelings on more than one side of a question or issue.

Aired October 9, 2018

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