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ambivalent
Definitions
1
adjective
Having
mixed
feelings
or
contradictory
ideas
about
something
or
someone
.
She
felt
ambivalent
about
her
new
job
,
excited
but
also
nervous
.
His
ambivalent
attitude
towards
the
proposal
made
it
hard
to
predict
his
decision
.
Many
people
are
ambivalent
about
the
changes
in
technology
,
seeing
both
benefits
and
drawbacks
.
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Word Origin
Language
Latin
Word parts
ambi (both) + valentia (strength)
Originally meant
having strength in both directions
Background
The term 'ambivalent' was first used in the early 20th century, derived from the Latin 'ambi-' meaning 'both' and 'valentia' meaning 'strength'. It was coined to describe the psychological state of having conflicting emotions.