Dictionary
1feeling
noun feel·ing \ˈfē-liŋ\
: an awareness by your body of something in it or on it
: an emotional state or reaction
: thoughts of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc.
Full Definition of FEELING
1
a (1) : the one of the basic physical senses of which the skin contains the chief end organs and of which the sensations of touch and temperature are characteristic : touch (2) : a sensation experienced through this sense b : generalized bodily consciousness or sensation c : appreciative or responsive awareness or recognition
2
a : an emotional state or reaction <a kindly feeling toward the boy> b plural : susceptibility to impression : sensitivity <the remark hurt her feelings>
3
a : the undifferentiated background of one's awareness considered apart from any identifiable sensation, perception, or thought b : the overall quality of one's awareness c : conscious recognition : sense
4
a : often unreasoned opinion or belief : sentiment b : presentiment
5
: capacity to respond emotionally especially with the higher emotions
6
: the character ascribed to something : atmosphere
7
a : the quality of a work of art that conveys the emotion of the artist b : sympathetic aesthetic response
8
: feel 4
See feeling defined for English-language learners
See feeling defined for kids
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First Known Use of FEELING
12th century
Related to FEELING
- Antonyms
- callousness, coldheartedness, hard-heartedness, heartlessness
Synonym Discussion of FEELING
feeling, emotion, affection, sentiment, passion mean a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation. feeling denotes any partly mental, partly physical response marked by pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion; it may suggest the mere existence of a response but imply nothing about the nature or intensity of it <the feelings that once moved me are gone>. emotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling, encompasses both positive and negative responses <the drama portrays the emotions of adolescence>. affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings <a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family>. sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea <her feminist sentiments are well known>. passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion <revenge became his ruling passion>.
Other Psychology Terms
2feeling
adjective
Definition of FEELING
2
obsolete : deeply felt
3
: expressing emotion or sensitivity
— feel·ing·ly \-liŋ-lē\ adverb
— feel·ing·ness noun
First Known Use of FEELING
14th century
FEELING Defined for Kids
feeling
noun feel·ing \ˈfē-liŋ\
Definition of FEELING for Kids
1
: the sense by which a person knows whether things are hard or soft, hot or cold, heavy or light
2
: a sensation of temperature or pressure <a feeling of cold> <a feeling of pain>
3
: a state of mind <a feeling of joy>
4
feelings plural : the state of a person's emotions <… she did not want her father's feelings hurt. — Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby>
5
: an opinion, belief, or expectation <I have the feeling we've met before.>
Medical Dictionary
feeling
noun feel·ing \ˈfē-liŋ\
Medical Definition of FEELING
1
a : the one of the basic physical senses of which the skin contains the chief end organs and of which the sensations of touch and temperature are characteristic : touch b : a sensation experienced through this sense
2
: an emotional state or reaction <guilt feelings>
3
: the overall quality of one's awareness especially as measured along a pleasantness-unpleasantness continuum
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