admiration

noun

Etymology: From Middle English admiracion, borrowed from Middle French admiration, or directly from Latin admīrātiō, from prefix ad- (“to, towards”) + mīrō (“to look at”) + -ātiō. Compare the verb admire, and US dialectal terms miration and mirate.

1. A positive emotion combining wonder and approbation; the regarding of another as being wonderful; a feeling of respect for another's skills or attributes, as one might look on a hero or role model.

   “admiration of a war hero”

   “They looked at the landscape in admiration.”

2. Wondering or questioning (without any particular positive or negative attitude to the subject).

   “Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman? Goneril. This admiration, sir, is much o’ th’ savour Of other your new pranks.”

   “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.”

3. Cause of admiration; something to excite wonder, or pleased surprise.

   “Now, good Lafeu, Bring in the admiration; that we with thee May spend our wonder too, or take off thine By wondering how thou took’st it.”