Detestations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of expressing strong dislike or hatred towards someone or something
2. A profound aversion that entails a deep emotional response of repulsion or disdain
3. An intense feeling of antipathy that leads to the rejection or loathing of particular ideas, individuals, or situations

Etymology: "Detestations" is the plural of "detestation," so the plural simply means several instances of the feeling or several objects of it. The singular "detestation" came into English from Middle French "détestation," which in turn descends from Latin "detestari," meaning to curse or to call down a curse upon something while calling on the gods to witness it. The Latin verb is built from "de-," expressing removal or reversal, and "testari," to bear witness, so the original sense was closer to renouncing something under oath than to simply disliking it. The noun's emotional sense of loathing grew out of that act of solemn denunciation. Over time the word's force shifted from a formal, public repudiation toward a private, intense hatred, which is the meaning the plural now carries.

Synonyms: hatred, loathing, aversion, disgust, antipathy

Antonyms: love, affection, fondness, liking, admiration