Where does “thankfulness” come from?

Thankfulness derives from Middle English -nesse, Old English -nes, and Proto-Germanic -inassuz, a noun suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives.

thankfulness (English): The state of being thankful

Definitions

  1. The state of being thankful

Ancestry of “thankfulness”, step by step

thankfulness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse—
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose

via English thankful

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishthankfulShowing appreciation or gratitude; Obtaining or...
2Middle Englishthankful—
3Old Englishþancful—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European néh₂s →Every word from Proto-Germanic nasją →Every word from Old English næs →