Emotions can be described using three words:
The whole emotion is like a tree. The roots and the trunk is the affect. The main branches are categorical emotions (anger, sadness, fear, shame, joy, love). Feelings are the smaller branches or leaves. They are the more cognitively and socially learned and differentiated subtle emotions (e.g., feeling suspicious, feeling awe, feeling disappointed, feeling enthusiastic).
Unlike Emotional experiences that are fleeting and episodic, an emotion can remain for many years. This emotion, while latent, could give rise to different thoughts, beliefs, desires, and actions.
References
Burton, N. (2014, December 19). What’s the Difference Between a Feeling and an Emotion? | Psychology Today. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201412/whats-the-difference-between-feeling-and-emotion
the second instance (being generally proud about that thing) an emotion or sentiment
whereas an emotional experience is brief and episodic, an emotion—which may or may not result from accreted emotional experiences—can endure for many years, and, in that time, predispose to a variety of emotional experiences, as well as thoughts, beliefs, desires, and actions.
In contrast, an emotion, being in some sense latent, can only ever be felt, sensu stricto, through the emotional experiences that it gives rise to, even though it might also be discovered through its associated thoughts, beliefs, desires, and actions.
emotions need not themselves be conscious
If an emotion remains unconscious, this is often through repression or some other form of self-deception.
The Counselling Channel (Director). (2020, April 27). What is the difference between feelings and emotions? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynHioCxAMEI