Expressional

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈspɹɛʃ.ən.əl/

Definitions

1. Pertaining to the conveyance of inner sentiments through art or performance, this term relates to how thoughts are manifested visually or audibly in varied artistic expressions
2. Relating to the representation of emotions and ideas through different forms of art, this term encompasses the ways in which feelings are artistically communicated or illustrated
3. This term describes the attributes connected to the depiction of thoughts and feelings within artistic mediums, emphasizing emotional communication through various creative expressions

Etymology: "Expressional" is simply "expression" with the adjective suffix "-al" attached, and it is a plain formation rather than a story with a famous coiner. The noun "expression" came into English through Middle French from Late Latin "expressio," a noun built from "exprimere," meaning to press out or squeeze out, formed from "ex-" (out) and "premere" (to press). The sense of pressing something out gave later meanings of making a thought or feeling visible, which is how "expression" came to mean the outward showing of an inner state. The suffix "-al" arrived through Old French and Latin "-alis," which turned nouns into adjectives meaning "pertaining to." Attaching it to "expression" produces an adjective meaning "relating to expression," and the specific sense "of artistic expression" follows from the noun's use for the making of art, music or drama.

Synonyms: expressive, communicative, articulate

Antonyms: unexpressive, mute