sentimental
UK[ˌsɛntɪˈmɛnt(ə)l]US[ˌsɛntəˈmɛnt(ə)l]
adj
Relating to or prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia, often in an exaggerated or self-indulgent way.
adj
Based on or influenced by emotions rather than reason or practicality.
Morpheme Breakdown
sentiment
al
sentiment
feeling
al
of, relating to, or characterized by.
Etymology
The word 'sentimental' is a relatively modern formation, emerging in the mid-18th century. It is built upon the noun 'sentiment,' which entered English from Old French and ultimately derives from the Latin verb sentire, meaning "to feel" or "to perceive." The suffix '-al,' of Latin origin, converts the noun into an adjective, literally creating "of or pertaining to feeling." The term's development reflects the 18th-century cultural focus on refined and delicate feelings, though its meaning later acquired connotations of excessive or mawkish emotion, distinguishing it from the more neutral 'emotional.'
Analysis
Structure: sentiment + al
sentiment: From Latin sentire (to feel), via Old French. In this word, it functions as the core root meaning "feeling" or "emotion."
al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis), used to form adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by."
Examples
She kept the old letters for sentimental reasons.
The movie's ending was overly sentimental and melodramatic.
He has a sentimental attachment to his first car.