emotionlessness
|e-mo-tion-less-ness|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈmoʊʃənləsnəs/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈməʊʃənləsnəs/
lack of feeling
Etymology
'emotionlessness' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the adjective 'emotionless' plus the nominalizing suffix '-ness'; 'emotion' itself comes from French 'émotion' and ultimately from Latin 'emovere', where 'e-/ex-' meant 'out' and 'movere' meant 'to move'.
'emotion' entered English via French 'émotion' (17th century) from Latin 'emovere' ('e-' + 'movere'); English formed 'emotionless' by adding the suffix '-less' to 'emotion' (19th century usage), and 'emotionlessness' was formed by further adding '-ness' to create the noun meaning 'the state of being emotionless'.
The root 'emotion' originally referred to a stirring or movement of the mind (a stirring out), and over time came to mean feelings or affect; 'emotionlessness' specifically developed to mean 'the state of lacking those feelings' and has retained that sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of having no observable emotion; absence of emotional response.
His emotionlessness during the hearing made it hard to tell how he really felt.
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Noun 2
a lack of emotional reaction in behavior or expression, often perceived as indifference or detachment.
Observers noted the emotionlessness of the witnesses as they recounted the events.
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Last updated: 2025/12/02 13:30