doneness

American  

[duhn-nis] / ˈdʌn nɪs /

noun

1. the condition of being cooked to a desired degree.

   steak prepared to the doneness ordered by the customer.

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Etymology

Origin of doneness

First recorded in 1925–30; done + -ness

Example Sentences

Think of it the way you might think of eggs: not as a single category, but as a spectrum of doneness, of mood, of purpose.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Set the air fryer to a lower temperature than you might expect—somewhere under 300°F—and cook the eggs for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness.

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2025

The sticking point is that, unlike forgiving chicken legs and roots, which have a relatively wide window of doneness, shrimp and zucchini can be finicky.

From Seattle Times • May 26, 2024

We found temperature was a better indicator for doneness than cooking time.

From Washington Times • Dec. 21, 2023

The doneness of the animal going around and around said it had been cooking for a while.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia