archness

American  

[ahrch-nis] / ˈɑrtʃ nɪs /

noun

1. roguishness; sauciness.

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Etymology

Origin of archness

First recorded in 1700–10; arch ² + -ness

Example Sentences

Fukuhara’s extra beats between lines, slow-forming, knowing smiles, and general get-me-away-from-these-philistines archness rescue mediocre jokes before her quick bursts of ebullience remind us that Nancy would rather make over her wardrobe-challenged classmates than mock them.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2023

Now, they are buzzing with memes, videos and messages of congratulation, but also a strain of sceptical archness.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2022

Throughout “Assembly,” Newsome teases the lines between sincerity, archness and coded critique.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2022

All the chapter titles end in “y,” adding to a general mood of effervescent archness.

From Washington Post • Oct. 25, 2021

“Well,” Lenina enquired, with significant archness when they met next afternoon on the roof, “did you think it was fun yesterday?”

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley