greatness

English

Etymology

From Middle English gretnesse, gretnes, greetnesse, from Old English grēatnes. Equivalent to great +‎ -ness.

Pronunciation

• enPR: grātʹnəs, IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹeɪtnəs/
• Hyphenation: great‧ness

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

greatness (countable and uncountable, plural greatnesses)

1. The state, condition, or quality of being great

   Due to the greatness of his size, he was an effective bodyguard.

   greatness of mind

   • c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     Mal. Some are borne great... Some atcheeue greatnesse... And some haue greatnesse thrust vpon them.

   • 1964, Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 147:

     Until then I had felt that what a great writer I was had been carefully kept secret between myself and my wife and only those people we knew well enough to speak to. I was glad Scott had come to the same happy conclusion as to this possible greatness, but I was also glad he was beginning to run out of his speech.

   • 2012 June 29, Kevin Mitchell, “Roger Federer Back from Wimbledon 2012 Brink to Beat Julien Benneteau”, in The Guardian‎, archived from the original on 15 November 2016:

     He showed his greatness when it mattered, but his occasional weakness too.

2. (obsolete): Pride; haughtiness.
   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. , 3rd edition, London: William Rawley; rinted by J H for William Lee , →OCLC:

     It is not of pride or greatness that he cometh not aboard your ships.

Translations

See also

• magnum opus
• genius

References

• “greatness”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Tressange, estranges, seargents, sergeants