Vehemence

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈviːəmən(t)s/

Definitions

1. Intense force or passion in expression, feeling, or action that conveys strong conviction or emotion
2. A powerful intensity of emotion or conviction manifested in behavior, speech, or actions that exhibits strong fervor or insistence
3. An extreme and passionate display of feeling or belief that reveals a deep commitment or strong opinion in the manner of expression

Etymology: Latin "vehemens" meant "eager" or "impetuous," and its root hints at the physical side of the story: the word is related to "vehere," "to carry," as in a thing being borne along with force. Being carried swiftly by an impulse is a fair picture of the emotional sense the English word later took on. The Latin noun "vehementia" meant "eagerness" or "strength," and it passed into Old French as "vehemence," with the sense of vigour or violence. English borrowed the word in the Middle Ages, first as "vehemens" and then in the shortened form "vemance," which shows how readily the ending was reshaped. The modern spelling settled later, when English writers began to restore the Latin-looking form. Across that journey the word moved from describing a physical force or rush toward describing the force of feeling itself.

Synonyms: intensity, fervor, forcefulness, passion, zeal

Antonyms: calmness, indifference, apathy, mildness, detachment