sentimentalism
UK[ˌsen.tɪˈmen.tə.lɪ.zəm]US[ˌsen.t̬əˈmen.t̬ə.lɪ.zəm]
n
The tendency to be governed by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia rather than by reason or logic.
n
The excessive or affected expression of such feelings, especially in art or literature.
Morpheme Breakdown
sentiment
al
ism
sentiment
feeling
al
adjective suffix
ism
doctrine or practice
Etymology
The word 'sentimentalism' is built upon the foundation of 'sentiment,' which traces back to the Latin verb sentire, meaning "to feel, perceive, or think." The suffix '-al' transforms this noun into the adjective 'sentimental,' describing a state of being prone to tender or nostalgic feelings. Finally, the addition of the Greek-derived suffix '-ism' converts the adjective into a noun denoting a doctrine, practice, or characteristic behavior. Thus, the literal construction "the practice (-ism) of being characterized by (-al) feeling (sentiment)" evolved in the 18th and 19th centuries to describe a philosophical and artistic movement that prized emotional sensitivity, later acquiring a connotation of excessive or mawkish emotional display.
Analysis
Structure: sentiment (feeling) + al (adjective suffix) + ism (doctrine or practice)
- sentiment: From Latin sentire (to feel). The core noun denoting feeling or emotion.
- al: A Latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by."
- ism: A suffix of Greek origin via Latin, forming nouns denoting a distinctive system, practice, or ideology.
Examples
The novel's sentimentalism, with its focus on tearful reunions and virtuous suffering, was popular in the Victorian era.
Critics accused the politician's speech of cheap sentimentalism, designed to appeal to emotion rather than present practical solutions.
While some find his paintings charming, others dismiss them as mere sentimentalism lacking in critical depth.