goodness
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English
Etymology
From Middle English goodnesse, godnesse, from Old English gōdnes (“goodness; virtue; kindness”), from Proto-West Germanic *gōdnassī (“goodness”), equivalent to good + -ness. Cognate with Scots guidness (“goodness”), West Frisian goedens (“goodness”), Old High German guotnessī (“goodness”), Middle High German guotnisse (“goodness”), Russian годность (godnostʹ, “suitability, fitness”).
Pronunciation
Noun
goodness (countable and uncountable, plural goodnesses)
- (uncountable) The state or characteristic of being good.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 83, column 2:
- There is ſome ſoule of goodneſſe in things euill, / VVould men obſeruingly 'diſtill it out.
- 2014 October 7, Amanda Bevill, Julie Kramis Hearne, World Spice at Home: New Flavors for 75 Favorite Dishes, Sasquatch Books, →ISBN, page 42:
- Rich, raisiny, smoky, coffee goodness: that is the flavor of urfa biber.
- (countable) The good, nutritional, healthy part or content of something.
- (uncountable, euphemistic) God.
- Thank goodness that the war is over!
- (Christianity) The moral qualities which constitute Christian excellence; moral virtue.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Galatians 5:22–23, column 2:
- But the fruit of the ſpirit is loue, ioy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, / Meekeneſſe, temperance: againſt ſuch there is no law.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
state or characteristic of being good
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good part or content of something
euphemistically: God
Christianity: moral virtue
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
Further reading
- “goodness”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “goodness”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “goodness”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Interjection
goodness
- Short form of goodness me.