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-ness - 5 dictionary results

-ness

 
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.
Origin:
ME, OE -nes, -nis, c. G -nis, Goth -(n)assus; suffix orig. *-assus; -n- by false division of words with adj. and ptp. stems ending in -n-; cf. OE efnes (later efen-nys) evenness
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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-ness  
suff.   State; quality; condition; degree: brightness.


[Middle English -nes, from Old English.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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-ness 
suffix of action, quality or state, attached to an adj. or pp. to form a noun, from O.E. -nes(s), general W.Gmc., cf. M.Du. -nisse, O.H.G. -nissa, Ger. -nis, Goth. -inassus.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Ness City, KS (city, FIPS 49925) Location: 38.45341 N, 99.90563 W
Population (1990): 1724 (804 housing units)
Area: 2.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 67560

Ness County, KS (county, FIPS 135) Location: 38.47543 N, 99.91556 W
Population (1990): 4033 (2048 housing units)
Area: 2783.8 sq km (land), 0.7 sq km (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
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-ness

-ness\ [AS. -ness, -nyss, -nys; akin to OS. -nissi, nussi, D. -nis, OHG. -nissa, -nass[=i], -nuss[=i], G. -nis, -niss, Goth. -inasus.] A suffix used to form abstract nouns expressive of quality or state; as, goodness, greatness.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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