goodness
noun/ˈɡʊdnəs/ · /ˈɡʊ(d)nɪs/
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”).
1
The state or characteristic of being good.
- There is ſome ſoule of goodneſſe in things euill, / VVould men obſeruingly 'diſtill it out.1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 83, column 2:
- Rich, raisiny, smoky, coffee goodness: that is the flavor of urfa biber.2014 October 7, Amanda Bevill, Julie Kramis Hearne, World Spice at Home: New Flavors for 75 Favorite Dishes, Sasquatch Books, →ISBN, page 42:
2
The good, nutritional, healthy part or content of something.
3
Euphemistic God.
- Thank goodness that the war is over!
4
Christianity The moral qualities which constitute Christian excellence; moral virtue.
- But the fruit of the ſpirit is loue, ioy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, / Meekeneſſe, temperance: againſt ſuch there is no law.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 5:22–23, column 2:
- Synonyms
- beneficence, dogoodery, good, heroism, virtue, virtuousness
- Antonyms
- atrociousness, badness, corruptness, criminality, depravity, evil, evilness, immorality, knavery, rascality, scoundrelry, turpitude, vileness, villainhood, villainousness, villainy, wickedness
- Derived terms
- goodness gracious, goodness gracious me, goodness knows, goodness me, honest to goodness, honest-to-goodness, my goodness, nongoodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness gracious, out of the goodness of one's heart, thank goodness
- Hyponyms
- probity