Where does “-ness” come from?
-ness (Scots) comes from Middle English -nes, from Old English -nis, from Proto-West Germanic -nassī, from Proto-Germanic -inassuz, from Proto-West Germanic -ī, from Proto-Germanic -į̄, from Proto-Indo-European -íh₂, from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ — Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...
-ness (Scots): Affixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns which denote a quality, state or condition
Definitions
- Affixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns which denote a quality, state or condition
Ancestry of “-ness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | -nes | Alternative form of -nesse |
| 2 | Old English | -nis | Alternative form of -nes |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | -nassī | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -inassuz | -ness |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -ī | -ness, -th |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -į̄ | -th |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |