Admirations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feeling of deep respect or approval for someone or something, often accompanied by wonder or admiration; the expression of such feelings towards another person or their achievements; an appreciation for qualities or attributes deemed praiseworthy in an individual or an object
2. A profound regard or esteem for the qualities of a person or thing, typically expressing admiration; the act of conveying positive feelings about someone’s actions or qualities; a recognition of excellence or beauty that inspires respect
3. An emotion reflecting positive recognition of someone's virtues or achievements, often leading to praise; the act of showing high regard or reverence towards individuals; a celebration of admirable traits in people or objects that evoke respect and esteem

Etymology: "Admirations" is simply the plural of "admiration", so it names several separate acts or expressions of esteem rather than a new idea. The noun it pluralizes comes from Latin "admīrātiō", built from "ad-" meaning "towards" and "mīrō", meaning "to look at" or "to wonder at". At its root, then, admiring someone is a form of looking at them with astonishment. That visual origin is preserved in the family of words around it. English "admire" shares the same Latin stem, and the word passed into English through Middle French "admiration" and Middle English "admiracion". Some American dialects still keep close cousins of the verb, such as "miration" and "mirate", which show how directly the sense of wondering gaze lies beneath the modern meaning of approval.

Synonyms: appreciations, esteem

Antonyms: disdain, contempt