The word emotion comes from the Latin word emotio, which means “a moving out, removal, migration.” This, in turn, derives from the verb emovere, composed of e- (out) and movere (to move). The term originally referred to a physical movement, but over time, it evolved to denote a “moving out” of the mind, which is the stirring or agitation of feelings. This shift from a physical to a psychological meaning occurred as the concept of emotion began to encompass the internal states of feeling and passion that move or drive individuals to act.
In Middle French, emotion was used in the 16th century to describe both physical movements and mental disturbances. By the early 17th century, the word had fully adopted its modern psychological meaning in English, signifying the feelings that arise in response to stimuli and that drive behavior.