Etymograph

English

ambivalence

Ambivalence comes from German Ambivalenz ‘simultaneous conflicting feelings’, from Latin valentia ‘strength’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yetireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*walēō‘to be strong’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvaleōas valere‘to be strong’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvalentia‘strength’
  6. Germanc. 1650–presentAmbivalenz‘simultaneous conflicting feelings’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1952ambivalence

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yetireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*walēō‘to be strong’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvaleōas valere‘to be strong’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvalentia‘strength’
  6. Germanc. 1650–presentAmbivalenz‘simultaneous conflicting feelings’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1952ambivalence

Earliest quotation: 1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man: “I dearly loved my master, son," she said. "You…”

Formed from ambi- + valence

Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on, onto’

Proto-Italic *amβō

Latin ambo ‘both’

English ambi-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-

…

Latin valeō ‘to be well, healthy, sound’

Latin valēns ‘strong, healthy’

Late Latin valentia ‘vigour’

German Valenz ‘valence, valency’

English valence

The story

The German term was coined by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1910; by 1929, it had taken on a broader literary and general sense.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-

wild, wool, velvet, validation, wield, fluff, flannel, validate, valiant, cuckold, velour, lanolin, woll, valorous, 37 more

through Proto-Italic *walēō ‘to be strong’

value, invalid, validity, convalescent, convalescence, 14 more

through Latin valeō ‘to be strong’

valid, equivalent, valuation, avail, vale, vail, valour, 18 more

Today it means

noun The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- / ambivalence

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