A feeling of anguish, anxiety, or existential dread; a state of profound unease or apprehension.
From Old French 'angoise' (narrowness, difficulty), derived from Latin 'angustia' (tightness, constraint). The word entered English through French literary and philosophical traditions, especially in existentialist contexts.
Anglophone philosophers borrowed 'angoise' from French instead of using English 'anguish' because it carries the weight of continental philosophy—choosing a French word makes existential dread sound more profound and intellectual.
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