goodness
/ˈɡʊdnəs/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.13 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The moral qualities which constitute Christian excellence; moral virtue.
Countable; Uncountable
intj
Clipping of goodness me or various similar exclamations such as goodness gracious.
Example Sentences
- "There is ſome ſoule of goodneſſe in things euill, / VVould men obſeruingly 'diſtill it out."
- "Rich, raisiny, smoky, coffee goodness: that is the flavor of urfa biber."
- "Thank goodness that the war is over!"
- "But the fruit of the ſpirit is loue, ioy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, / Meekeneſſe, temperance: againſt ſuch there is no law."
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”).