Where does “sharpness” come from?
Sharpness derives from Middle English sharpnesse, from Old English sċearpnes, formed from the adjective sċearp with the suffix -nes.
sharpness (English): the cutting ability of an edge; keenness; the...
Definitions
- the cutting ability of an edge; keenness; the...
Ancestry of “sharpness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sharpnesse | — |
| 2 | Old English | sċearpnes | sharpness |
| 3 | Old English | -nes | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | -nassī | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -inassuz | -ness |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | -ī | -ness, -th |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -į̄ | -th |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |