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admiration

[ad-muh-rey-shuhn]
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noun
  1. a feeling of wonder, pleasure, or approval.
  2. the act of looking on or contemplating with pleasure: admiration of fine paintings.
  3. an object of wonder, pleasure, or approval: The dancer was the admiration of everyone.
  4. Archaic. wonder; astonishment.
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Origin of admiration

1400–50; late Middle English admiracion < Latin admīrātiōn (stem of admīrātiō). See admire, -ation
Related formsad·mi·ra·tive [ad-mahy-ruh-tiv, ad-muh-rey-] /ædˈmaɪ rə tɪv, ˌæd məˈreɪ-/, adjectivead·mi·ra·tive·ly, adverbself-ad·mi·ra·tion, nounsu·per·ad·mi·ra·tion, noun

Synonyms

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1. approval; esteem, regard; affection.

Antonyms

1. condemnation.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

adorationapplauselovepraiserecognitionwonderdelightappreciationaffectionreverencepleasurewondermentfondnessesteemobeisanceaccountvenerationhomageidolizationregard

Examples from the Web for admiration

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • This so excited the admiration of Speusippus, that a love of philosophy was kindled within him.

    Philothea

    Lydia Maria Child

  • This Niebuhr, who was a surveyor by profession, was a young man who deserves our admiration.

    Ancient Man

    Hendrik Willem van Loon

  • Then he licked his chops and looked in admiration on his worldly friend.

    A Night Out

    Edward Peple

  • She had a fondness and admiration for this child and her audacity.

  • He seemed to have no inordinate desire for admiration or even for approbation.

    Weighed and Wanting

    George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for admiration

admiration

noun
  1. pleasurable contemplation or surprise
  2. a person or thing that is admiredshe was the admiration of the court
  3. archaic wonder
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for admiration

n.

early 15c., "wonder," from Middle French admiration (14c.) or directly from Latin admirationem (nominative admiratio) "a wondering at, admiration," noun of state from past participle stem of admirari "admire," from ad- "at" (see ad-) + mirari "to wonder," from mirus "wonderful" (see miracle). The sense has weakened steadily since 16c.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with admiration

admiration

see mutual admiration society.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.