• Ambivalence

    Origin

    From German Ambivalenz ("simultaneous conflicting feelings"), from Latin ambo ("both") and valentia ("strength"), from the verb valere ("to be strong") (see valiant). Coined 1910 by Swiss psychologist Eugen Bleuler, by 1929 had taken on a broader literary and general sense.

    Full definition of ambivalence

    Noun

    ambivalence

    (countable and uncountable; plural ambivalences)
    1. The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea.
    2. A state of uncertainty or indecisiveness.

    Usage notes

    This word is often used as to express a lack of concern about the outcome of a choice to be made http://www.google.com.au/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-10,GGLJ:en&q=ambivalent+to+mean+indifferent. In this case, a more appropriate word to use is indifference. The confusion is probably caused by the similarity of sounds between the two words and the passive sound of the word.

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