sentiment
n. C / Un. a feeling or opinion about something. It is often used to describe how a large group of people feels about a topic like politics or the economy.
n. a thought, opinion, or attitude based on emotion rather than reason. Often used in financial or political contexts to describe the collective mood of a group.
Public sentiment toward the new law is mostly positive.
Market sentiment shifted quickly after the central bank announced it would raise interest rates.
The speech was designed to appeal to nationalist sentiment, bypassing logical policy arguments in favor of shared cultural grievances and historical pride.
From Old French sentement, from Latin sentimentum.
Often used with the prepositions 'toward' or 'against'. When uncountable, it refers to the general mood; when countable, it refers to a specific expressed opinion.