n. 1. A thought, view, or attitude, especially one based mainly on emotion instead of reason: An anti-American sentiment swept through the country. See Synonyms at view. 2. a. Emotion; feeling: Different forms of music convey different kinds of sentiment. b. Tender or romantic feeling: felt strong sentiment for each other. c. Maudlin emotion; sentimentality: "He called her 'beloved madame,' and many other endearments, delivered with gallant mushiness, irony damascened with sentiment" (Robert D. Richardson). 3. The thought or emotion that underlies a remark or gesture: The child's gift was ridiculous, but the sentiment behind it moved the mother to tears. 4. The expression of delicate and sensitive feeling, especially in art and literature. [Middle English sentement, from Old French, from Medieval Latin sentīmentum, from Latin sentīre, to feel; see sent- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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