emotionality
UK[ɪˌməʊʃəˈnæləti]US[ɪˌmoʊʃəˈnæləti]
n
The quality or state of being emotional, especially in showing one's feelings openly.
n
The degree to which a person experiences and expresses emotions.
Morpheme Breakdown
emotion
al
ity
emotion
feeling
al
adjective suffix
ity
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'emotionality' is a modern English formation built upon the noun 'emotion', which itself originates from the Latin verb emovere, meaning "to move out, remove, or agitate". This root, combining e- (out) and movere (to move), conceptually links the outward movement or disturbance of the mind to the experience of feeling. The suffix '-al' was added to create the adjective 'emotional', meaning "pertaining to or characterized by emotion". Finally, the abstract noun-forming suffix '-ity' (from Latin -itas) was appended to denote the overall state or quality of being emotional, thus completing the journey from a literal sense of physical agitation to a nuanced psychological and behavioral characteristic.
Analysis
Structure: emotion (feeling) + al (adjective suffix) + ity (noun suffix)
- emotion: From Latin emovere (to move out, agitate). The core morpheme denoting feeling or agitation.
- al: A Latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by".
- ity: A Latin-derived suffix (-itas) forming nouns indicating a state, condition, or quality.
Examples
The emotionality of her performance moved the entire audience to tears.
Researchers are studying the differences in emotionality between various age groups.
His writing is known more for its intellectual depth than for its emotionality.