emotional (adj.)

1821, "pertaining to emotion," from emotion + -al (1). Meaning "characterized by or subject to emotions" is attested by 1857. Related: Emotionally. Emotional intelligence was coined by mid-1960s, popular from mid-1980s.

Entries linking to emotional

emotion (n.)

1570s, "a (social) moving, stirring, agitation," from French émotion (16c.), from Old French emouvoir "stir up" (12c.), from Latin emovere "move out, remove, agitate," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away"). Sense of "strong feeling" is first recorded 1650s; extended to any feeling by 1808.

-al (1)

suffix forming adjectives from nouns or other adjectives, "of, like, related to, pertaining to," Middle English -al, -el, from French or directly from Latin -alis (see -al (2)).

unemotional (adj.)

1819, from un- (1) "not" + emotional (adj.). Related: Unemotionally.

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updated on September 13, 2020

Definitions of emotional from WordNet

emotional (adj.)

determined or actuated by emotion rather than reason;

it was an emotional judgment

emotional (adj.)

of more than usual emotion;

his behavior was highly emotional

emotional (adj.)

of or pertaining to emotion;

emotional health

an emotional crisis

emotional (adj.)

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion;

he would become emotional over nothing at all

Synonyms: aroused / excited / worked up

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near emotional

emollient

emolument

emote

emoticon

emotion

emotional

emotionless

emotive

empanada

empanel

empath