ness

¹

[nes]

noun

1. a headland; promontory; cape.

-ness

²

1. a native English suffix attached to adjectives and participles, forming abstract nouns denoting quality and state (and often, by extension, something exemplifying a quality or state).

   darkness; goodness; kindness; obligingness; preparedness.

ness

¹

/ nɛs /

noun

1. 1. archaic,  a promontory or headland

   2. ( capital as part of a name )

      Orford Ness

-ness

²

suffix

1. indicating state, condition, or quality, or an instance of one of these

   greatness

   selfishness

   meaninglessness

   a kindness

Ness

³

/ nɛs /

noun

1. a lake in NW Scotland, in the Great Glen: said to be inhabited by an aquatic monster. Length: 36 km (22.5 miles). Depth: 229 m (754 ft)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ness¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English -nes(s) (in placenames), in part continuing Old English næs, in part from Old Norse nes; akin to nose

Origin of ness²

Middle English, Old English -nes, -nis, cognate with German -nis, Gothic -(n)assus; suffix originally (unattested) -assus; -n- by false division of words with adjective and past participle stems ending in -n-; compare Old English efnes (later efen-nys ) evenness ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of ness¹

Old English næs headland; related to Old Norse nes, Old English nasu _nose

Origin of ness²

Old English -nes, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic -nassus

Example Sentences

“Which goes back to the L.A.-ness of it all,” Ball chimes in.

From Los Angeles Times

I am intrigued by the “Day 1“-ness of the final scene.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s a “Waiting for Godot”-ness to these tales, each of them examining an archetype like “Tourist,” “Artist,” “Futurist” or “Optimist” in the context of the post-pandemic era.

From Los Angeles Times

Though he’s an avowed New Yorker, Esposito sees something special about the L.A.-ness of the event.

From Los Angeles Times

Apart from the central metaphor, its LGBTQ+-ness is expressed in brief, chaste moments of closeness between the two main male characters.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does -ness mean?

The suffix -ness is used to denote a quality or state of being. It is often used in a variety of everyday terms.The form -ness comes from Old English -nes. Similar suffixes in Latin include -itās and -tūdō, both of which indicate a state of being and are the sources of the English suffixes -ity and -tude. Check out our entries for both suffixes to learn how frequently they appear.