Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

softness

/ˈsɔftnəs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.99 in modern English

Syllables
soft-ness
IPA
/ˈsɔftnəs/
11
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The quality of being soft.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English softnesse, from Old English sōftnes, alteration of earlier sēftnes. Equivalent to soft + -ness.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈsɔftnəs/
  • British English: /ˈsɒftnəs/

Usage

Inflected Forms

softnesses (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

clay down feather foam wax cushion padding pillow

Synonyms

flaccidity mollitude softness effeminacy effeminateness sissiness womanishness unmanliness

Antonyms

hardness

Questions

How do you pronounce softness?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsɔftnəs/.
What does softness mean?
The quality of being soft.
Where does softness come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce softness

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “softness”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈsɔftnəs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “softness”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “softness” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.