In today’s video we’ll continue to expand our vocabulary and learn a new English word – “ambivalent.”
Let’s break it into parts and learn the word’s origin.
The root of the word – “val” comes from Latin “valere,” which means “to be worth.” That’s where the word “value” comes from, as well.
Prefix “ambi-” also comes from Latin and means “around” or “on both sides.”
And suffix “-ent” in English helps form an adjective and means “that which…”
And thus, the literal meaning of “ambivalent” is “that whose value is on both sides.”
To be ambivalent means to have mixed feelings or an undetermined opinion about something.
Here is an example of how to use the word in a sentence:
“He felt ambivalent about applying for that job.” Which means he wasn’t really sure if he wanted the job.
Cheers,
TP
