The keyed-up feeling of looking forward to, or bracing for, what's coming..
The broad forward-looking emotion — looking ahead to something coming, whether eagerly or anxiously.
The broadest forward-looking emotion, and valence-flexible: it “implies a prospect that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.” Unlike hope it needn't desire a good outcome (you can anticipate something bad); unlike expectancy it carries more felt emotion; unlike eagerness it lacks the keen impatience; unlike suspense it needn't involve uncertainty. Pairs with “in anticipation of” (preparatory) and “with anticipation” (emotional).
Late 14c. “foreshadowing,” from Latin anticipationem “preconception,” from anticipare “take ahead of time” (ante “before” + capere “to take”).
From “foreshadowing” (late 14c.) the now-dominant emotional sense, “action of looking forward to,” is dated to 1809. The word still carries an element of “prepare for, forestall” that purists distinguish from plain “expect.” No reliable recent-generation shift.