apprehension

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃən/ UK /ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃn/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
anxiety or fear about the future; the act of arresting

She felt growing apprehension as the exam approached.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · anxiety or fear about the... anxiety dread unease foreboding trepidation fear worry misgiving

Opposites

confidence calm composure assurance

Word family

Related forms apprehend apprehensive comprehension prehensile

Etymology

From Latin apprehensio ('a seizing, grasping'), from apprehendere ('to grasp, seize'), from ad- and prehendere ('to seize'); the sense of anxiety arose from 'mental grasping' of a feared event.

apprehensio Latin prehendere Latin *ghend- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# apprehension

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃn/

## Meanings
1. anxiety or fear about the future; the act of arresting

## Examples
- She felt growing apprehension as the exam approached.

## Synonyms
- anxiety
- dread
- unease
- foreboding
- trepidation
- fear
- worry
- misgiving

## Antonyms
- confidence
- calm
- composure
- assurance

## Related Forms
- apprehend
- apprehensive
- comprehension
- prehensile

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: apprehensio
- Root: prehendere
- Root: *ghend-

## Etymology
From Latin apprehensio ('a seizing, grasping'), from apprehendere ('to grasp, seize'), from ad- and prehendere ('to seize'); the sense of anxiety arose from 'mental grasping' of a feared event.

## AI Etymology
Apprehension comes from Latin apprehensio ('a seizing, grasping'), from apprehendere ('to grasp, seize'), from ad- and prehendere ('to seize'); the sense of anxiety arose from 'mental grasping' of a feared event. The historical trail runs through Latin apprehensio, Latin prehendere and Proto-Indo-European *ghend-. The later sense follows a semantic development already present in the word's history. In modern use it means anxiety or fear about the future; the act of arresting. Related forms include apprehend, apprehensive, comprehension, prehensile.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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