Word part · Anglo-Saxon suffix
The Anglo-Saxon suffix -ness
Means: the state of being.
At a glance
- Part
- -ness
- Meaning
- the state of being
- Layer
- Anglo-Saxon: Short everyday words, compounds and the most common prefixes and suffixes.
Turns a describing word into something you can name: kind becomes kindness.
Example words
Read each word, then its sum: the parts that build it, and what they mean together.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
- kind (root or base)+ness (suffix)→kindness
being kind
- dark (root or base)+ness (suffix)→darkness
being dark
- soft (root or base)+ness (suffix)→softness
being soft
- happy (root or base)+ness (suffix)→happiness
being happy
happy + ness: change y to i → happiness
- empty (root or base)+ness (suffix)→emptiness
being empty
empty + ness: change y to i → emptiness
- sad (root or base)+ness (suffix)→sadness
being sad
- help (root or base)+ful (suffix)+ness (suffix)→helpfulness
being full of help
Original word lists and meanings written by Literacy Trail.
Taught alongside
Parts that share a lesson with -ness.
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