From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Awe is an emotion comparable to wonder ^[1] but less joyous, and more fearful or respectful. A person may feel wonder or joy while seeing a large rainbow, but typically a person does not feel in awe of a rainbow. In general awe is directed at objects considered to be more powerful than the subject, such as the breaking of huge waves on the base of a rocky cliff, or the thundering roar of a massive waterfall^[2]. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Grand Canyons, or the vastness of open space in the cosmos are all places or concepts which would typically inspire awe. Awe is defined in Robert Plutchik's Wheel of emotions^[3] as a combination of surprise and fear.

See also

• A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, Part II, Section V.
• AWEmpire,

Notes and references

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Etymology

Old English eġe, influenced during Middle English by forms from the Old Norse cognate agi.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ô, IPA: /ɔː/, SAMPA: /O:/
•  Audio (UK)^{help, file}
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ɔː

• Homophones: aw, oar (in non-rhotic accents), or (in non-rhotic accents), ore (in non-rhotic accents), o'er (in non-rhotic accents)

Noun

awe (uncountable)

1. A feeling of fear and reverence.
2. A feeling of amazement.

Translations

Derived terms

Verb

to awe (third-person singular simple present awes, present participle awing, simple past and past participle awed)

1. (transitive) To inspire fear and reverence.
2. (transitive) To control by inspiring dread.

Synonyms

• (inspire reverence): enthral, enthrall; overwhelm

Derived terms

• awed

Translations

Anagrams

• Anagrams of aew
• eaw

Mapudungun

Adverb

awe (using Raguileo Alphabet)

1. quickly, promptly.
2. soon

Synonyms

• arol

Western Arrernte

Pronunciation

• IPA: /awə/

Interjection

awe

1. yes