Where does “harshness” come from?

Harshness derives from Middle English harshness, formed from harsh plus the Old English suffix -nes, which continues Proto-Germanic -inassuz, ultimately from Proto-Germanic -inōną.

harshness (English): The quality of being harsh

Definitions

  1. The quality of being harsh

Ancestry of “harshness”, step by step

harshness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English harsknes

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishharsknesharshness
2Middle Englishnesse—
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose

via English harsh

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishharshUnpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses;...
2Middle Englishharsk—

Words derived from “harshness”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European néh₂s →Every word from Proto-Germanic nasją →Every word from Old English næs →
harshness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer