anti-expressivity
|an-ti-ex-pres-siv-i-ty|
/ˌæn.ti.ɛkˌsprɛˈsɪvɪti/
opposition to expressiveness
Etymology
'anti-expressivity' is a modern English compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') and 'expressivity' (from 'expressive' + the noun-forming suffix '-ity').
'anti-' originates from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against'; 'expressivity' derives from Latin 'exprimere' ('ex-' meaning 'out' and 'primere' meaning 'to press') through Old French/Medieval Latin roots into English 'express' + '-ive' + '-ity', and the compound 'anti-expressivity' is a recent English coinage combining these elements.
Initially, components signified 'against' and 'to press out' (i.e., expression); combined in recent usage the compound specifically denotes opposition to expressiveness or expressive display rather than a literal physical pressing-out.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of opposing, suppressing, or minimizing expressiveness or expressive display (in behavior, art, language, or emotion).
The play's staging embraced anti-expressivity, favoring stillness and restraint over dramatic gestures.
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Noun 2
a theoretical or ideological stance that critiques or rejects expressive modes—used in critical theory, aesthetics, or sociolinguistics to describe positions that valorize neutrality, objectivity, or decorum over overt expression.
Scholars described the movement's anti-expressivity as a reaction to perceived excesses of sentimentality in earlier works.
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Last updated: 2025/10/28 00:08