meeleolust

Meeleolust is an Estonian term used to describe the overall mood or emotional climate of a person or group at a given time. It denotes a longer-lasting emotional tone that can influence perception, behavior, and interaction, and is related to but distinct from the momentary mood indicated by meeleolu. In everyday language, meeleolust may refer to how someone generally feels or to the prevailing atmosphere within a social setting.

In academic and journalistic contexts, meeleolust is discussed as part of mental well-being, social psychology, and population studies. Researchers consider how factors such as sleep, health, stress, social support, and cultural norms shape meeleolust, and how a positive or negative mood climate can affect decisions, motivation, and performance. It is sometimes used to describe the mood of a group or community over a period, such as in surveys or reports on public sentiment.

Meeleolust is primarily used in Estonian-language sources; in English, the closest equivalents are mood or affect, and the term does not have a standardized clinical definition. Etymologically, it derives from meeleolu, meaning mood, with grammatical forms that render it a state or condition.

See also: mood, affect, temperament, Estonian language.