-ness
Makes adjectives nouns
A suffix that transforms adjectives into nouns naming the quality or state they describe: kindness, darkness, happiness.
It attaches freely to almost any adjective, making it one of English's most productive suffixes.
New formations appear constantly: wokeness, basicness, extra-ness.
The resulting noun is abstract, naming the condition of being whatever the adjective describes.
Word-ending addition
- affixWord-part modifier
- endingFinal portion of something
- morphemeSmallest meaningful language unit
- derivationSource or origin tracing
nominalization · adjective · transformation · construction · attachment · modification · conversion · creation
Standard or attribute
- stateCondition or mode
- conditionState or stipulation
- propertySomething owned or inherent
- attributeQuality assigned to something
characteristic · essence · nature · being · status · degree · measure · extent
Joyful emotional state
- sadnessState of emotional pain
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- darknessTotal absence of light
- softnessYielding to gentle pressure
hardness · sweetness · bitterness · emptiness · fullness · openness · closeness · loudness
Depth of material
- thinnessState of minimal width
- tallnessVertical measurement upward
- shortnessLack of length
- widenessExtent across something
narrowness · deepness · shallowness · heaviness · lightness · fastness · slowness · nearness
Gentle, caring quality
- fondnessWarm liking or affection
- lonelinessState of lacking companions
- eagernessIntense willingness to act
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
anxiousness · joyfulness · sorrowfulness · contentedness · restlessness · hopelessness · hopefulness · fearfulness
suffix
Word-ending addition
derivation · nominalization · adjective · transformation · construction · attachment · modification · conversion · creation · productivity
quality
Standard or attribute
attribute · characteristic · essence · nature · being · status · degree · measure · extent · trait
happiness
Joyful emotional state
softness · hardness · sweetness · bitterness · emptiness · fullness · openness · closeness · loudness · quietness
thickness
Depth of material
wideness · narrowness · deepness · shallowness · heaviness · lightness · fastness · slowness · nearness · farness
tenderness
Gentle, caring quality
- fondnessWarm liking or affection
- lonelinessState of lacking companions
- eagernessIntense willingness to act
nervousness · anxiousness · joyfulness · sorrowfulness · contentedness · restlessness · hopelessness · hopefulness · fearfulness · cheerfulness