gniew

Gniew is the Polish noun for anger or wrath. It denotes a strong feeling of displeasure triggered by perceived injustice, frustration, or threat. In Polish, gniew can be moral or righteous, as in “gniew Boży” (the wrath of God), as well as a component of everyday irritation. The term is more forceful than “złość” and typically less extreme than “wściekłość,” which often implies more uncontrollable rage.

Grammatically, gniew is masculine and used in phrases such as “wybuch gniewu” (outburst of anger) and “opanować gniew” (to control one’s anger). The related adjective “gniewny” describes a person who is prone to anger. Etymologically, the word has deep historical roots in Polish and is related to similar Slavic terms for anger found in neighboring languages. It figures prominently in literature, religion, and folklore, where anger is often discussed in moral or ethical terms.

In psychology and everyday life, anger is understood as a basic human emotion with physiological arousal and cognitive appraisal. Common regulation strategies include cooling-off periods, cognitive reappraisal, and problem solving to address the source of the irritation. Culturally, gniew is sometimes framed as something to be restrained or directed toward just causes, depending on context and moral evaluation.

See also: anger.