Rancour

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A long-lasting sense of bitterness or resentment caused by real or perceived wrongdoing can essentially affect one's feelings and interactions
2. Deep-seated ill will that persists over time stemming from a grievance often leads to a negative emotional state
3. A lasting feeling of deep bitterness towards someone or something often arising from past offenses

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "rancour" is that its root meaning has nothing to do with anger. The Latin "rancor" meant "rancidity", the sour, off smell or taste of spoiled food, and it came from the verb "ranceo", "to be rotten or putrid". English "rancid" shares that same ancestor, so the two words are close relatives that went in very different directions. The word reached English in the 13th century as Middle English "rancour", having passed through Old French "rancor". Over that journey the sense shifted from something gone bad to a grudge that festers and stays sour, a metaphor the Romans already used. A resentment that refuses to fade is, in a sense, a spoiled feeling.

Synonyms: bitterness, resentment, animosity, hostility, spite

Antonyms: friendliness, amity, goodwill, kindness, forgiveness