ness

IPA/nəs/
KK[nˈɛs]IPA/nəs/

ness — suffix

1. added to many adjectives to make abstract nouns expressing how someone or someth

1.suffixB1
Definition

added to many adjectives to make abstract nouns expressing how someone or something is, or what condition they are in.

Example

Leo's kindness made the new student feel welcome on her first day.

kindness -> noun naming a personal quality

After the power cut, total darkness filled the stairwell for several minutes.

darkness -> state named from an adjective

Common collocations
  • human kindness
  • total darkness
  • deep nervousness
  • morning stiffness
  • basic fairness
Synonyms
  • -ity

    another noun-forming suffix, but it usually attaches to different adjective families such as active -> activity

  • -hood

    also forms nouns for states, but it is less general and often tied to roles or stages of life

Grammar Patterns

adjective + -ness -> noun

Usage Note

This suffix is especially common with adjectives that describe a personal quality or a temporary state, such as kind, dark, nervous, or stiff. Not every adjective takes -ness naturally; some use a different noun ending, such as -ity.

Common Mistakes

Her kind helped the children relax.
Her kindness helped the children relax.
Use -ness when you need the noun for the quality, not the adjective.
The room was full of dark.
The room was full of darkness.
Some abstract meanings need the -ness noun form.

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The suffix -ness goes back to Old English -nes or -nis, a noun-forming ending used to name a quality or state. It stayed productive through Middle English and remains common in modern English, which is why speakers easily understand forms such as kindness, darkness, and nervousness even when they have not met a particular word before.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined above