Where does “cheerfulness” come from?
Cheerfulness is derived from Middle English -nesse, Old English -nes, and Proto-Germanic -inassuz, a suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives.
cheerfulness (English): The state of being cheerful; joy
Definitions
- The state of being cheerful; joy
Ancestry of “cheerfulness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | cheerful | Noticeably happy and optimistic; Bright and... |
| 2 | English | cheer | A cheerful attitude; happiness; a good, happy, or... |
| 3 | Middle English | chere | state of mind as indicated by facial expression;... |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | chere | — |
| 5 | Old French | chiere | face; oblique/nominative feminine singular of... |
| 6 | Latin | cara | nominative feminine singular of cārus; nominative... |
| 7 | Latin | cārus | — |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | kāros | dear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kéh₂ros | loved; dear |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | keh₂- | to desire, wish |