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adoration
/ˌædəˈreɪʃən/
deep love or great fondness
She gazed at the newborn baby with pure adoration.
The word shows strong, tender love in a quiet, emotional moment.
formal
deep love and respect; great fondness or devotion.
His adoration for his dog was evident in the way he cared for it.
The word describes a strong emotional attachment to a pet.
The artist's adoration of nature inspired her paintings.
Here it shows deep appreciation and love for the natural world.
Adoration is often used to describe intense, almost reverent affection, typically in a positive context.
Collocations
in adorationshowing deep love or reverencewith adorationin a loving or devoted manner
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'adoration'
Reserve 'adoration' for situations involving deep, reverent love. Overuse can make writing sound overly dramatic or insincere.
Gold Rule
Use 'adoration' for reverent love
Adoration suggests a love that borders on worship, often used in religious, parental, or romantic contexts.
Word Origin
From Latin *adoratio*, from *adorare* ('to worship, adore'), from *ad-* ('to') + *orare* ('to pray, speak'). Entered English in the late 14th century with religious connotations, later broadening to general affection.
Usage Notes
Adoration implies a stronger, more reverent form of love than 'love' or 'affection.' It is often used in contexts of deep emotional attachment, such as to a person, deity, or ideal.
Word Breakdown
ador-
to worship or pray
root-ation
action or state of
suffixEnglish Dictionary