repugnance
UK[rɪˈpʌɡnəns]US[rɪˈpʌɡnəns]
n
a strong feeling of disgust or extreme dislike
n
the state of being inconsistent or incompatible with something
Morpheme Breakdown
re
pugn
ance
re
back
pugn
to fight
ance
Etymology
the word repugnance originates from latin 'repugnantia', meaning 'resistance' or 'opposition'. it is built from the prefix 're-' (back, against), the verb 'pugnare' (to fight), and the abstract noun suffix '-antia'. the literal sense of 'fighting back' evolved in late middle english to signify a state of conflict or inconsistency. by the 17th century, this meaning extended metaphorically to describe an intense inner feeling of opposition or disgust towards something, capturing the sense of a moral or instinctive 'fight' against an offensive idea or object.
Analysis
Structure: re + pugn + ance
re- (latin, prefix meaning 'back' or 'against'), pugn (latin, root from 'pugnare' meaning 'to fight'), -ance (latin, noun suffix forming abstract nouns indicating a state or quality)
Examples
she felt a deep repugnance at the thought of eating meat.
there is a fundamental repugnance between his actions and his stated principles.
a look of utter repugnance crossed his face when he saw the conditions.