Awe is an
emotion comparable to
wonder but less
joyous. On Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions awe is modeled as a combination of
surprise and
fear. One dictionary definition is "an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like: in awe of God; in awe of great political figures." Another dictionary definition is a "mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might: We felt awe when contemplating the works of Bach. The observers were in awe of the destructive power of the new weapon." In general, awe is directed at objects considered to be more powerful than the subject, such as the
Great Pyramid of Giza, the
Grand Canyon, or the vastness of the cosmos.
