Dictionary

darkness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

/ˈdɑɹk.nɪs/ (General-American)
(General-American) audio
/ˈdɑːk.nəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English derknesse, from Old English deorcnes; equivalent to dark + -ness.

Meanings

(uncountable) The state of being dark; lack of light; the absolute or comparative absence of light.
- The darkness of the room made it difficult to see.
- Darkness imprisoning me / All that I see / Absolute horror / I cannot live / I cannot die / Trapped in myself / Body my holding cell 1989, “One”, performed by Metallica:
- Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear. 1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1:
- Over everything was darkness and thick silence, and the smell of dust and sunflowers. 1912, Willa Cather, The Bohemian Girl:
(uncountable) The state or quality of reflecting little light, of tending to a blackish or brownish color.
- The darkness of her skin betrayed her Mediterranean heritage.
(countable, uncountable) Any space that such colour pervades.
- Out of the darkness came some flickers of light.
(uncountable) Gloom; gloominess; depression.
(countable) The product of being dark.
(uncountable) Lack of understanding or compassion; spiritual or mental blindness.
- And now, the prophecy. One will come, the voice from the outer world, bringing the holy war, the jihad, which will cleanse the universe and bring us out of darkness. 1984, 41:18 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Reverend Mother Ramallo, →OCLC:
(uncountable) Secrecy; concealment.
(uncountable) Lack of knowledge; obscurity or meaning or intelligibility; the unknown.
- It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness. 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 195:
(uncountable) Nothingness, vanity, emptiness.
- My own dim life should teach me this, ⁠That life shall live for evermore, ⁠Else earth is darkness at the core, And dust and ashes all that is; […] 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXIV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 53:
(uncountable) Hell.
- Shepard: Can you tell me anything about the beacon? Dr. Warren: It's some type of data module from a galaxy-wide communications network. Remarkably well-preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime! Dr. Warren: Miraculous new technologies. Groundbreaking medical advances. Who knows what secrets are locked inside? Dr. Manuel: We have unearthed the heart of evil. Awakened the beast. Unleashed the darkness. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Eden Prime:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
darkenesse		alternative	lexicographic
darckness		alternative	lexicographic
darknesse		alternative	lexicographic
darkeness		alternative	lexicographic
darknesses	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Translations (242)

hi अंधेरा (state of being dark) · uk темнота́ (state of being dark) · scn scurura (state of being dark) · fa تاریکی (state of being dark) · hy խավար (state of being dark) · enm derknesse (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · ro tristețe (gloom) · la tenebrae (state of being dark) · uk мо́рок (state of being dark) · fr ténèbres (state of being dark) · pt trevas (state of being dark) · fr noirceur (state of being dark) · fy tsjusternis (state of being dark) · enm derknesse (gloom) · grc ἔρεβος (state of being dark) · ang þīestru (state of being dark) · sh mračnost (state of being dark) · om dukkana (state of being dark) · sk temnota (state of being dark) · fa تیرگی (state of being dark) · aht xeł (state of being dark) · eo tenebro (gloom) · ka წყვდიადი (state of being dark) · sa तमस् (state of being dark) · cu тьма (state of being dark) · kk қараңғылық (state of being dark) · gl foscume (state of being dark) · de Finsternis (state of being dark) · sux 𒌖 (state of being dark) · ml ഇരുട്ട് (state of being dark) · mi hinapouri (state of being dark) · bo མུན་པ (state of being dark) · lb Däischtert (state of being dark) · so mugddi (state of being dark) · gd dubhar (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · hy մթություն (state of being dark) · fr sombreur (gloom) · jv pepeteng (state of being dark) · ga dorchadas (state of being dark) · rgn bur (state of being dark) · uga 𐎎𐎄𐎂𐎚 (state of being dark) · bg мрак (state of being dark) · gl negror (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · pt trevas (gloom) · ht fènwa (state of being dark) · fr sombreur (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · it buio (state of being dark) · sux 𒍪𒈬𒊌 (state of being dark) · ajp عتمة (state of being dark) · got 𐍂𐌹𐌵𐌹𐍃 (state of being dark) · gd dubhar (state of being dark) · mi whēuriuri (state of being dark) · ar ظُلْمَة (state of being dark) · az zülmət (state of being dark) · pl ciemność (state of being dark) · fr noirceur (gloom) · sv mörker (state of being dark) · enm derknesse (the product of being dark) · sux 𒀯𒅊 (state of being dark) · sk tma (state of being dark) · gd dubh (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · nl donkerheid (state of being dark) · ota سواد (state of being dark) · ab алашьцара (state of being dark) · grc δνόφος (state of being dark) · fi pimeys (the product of being dark) · oc escuritat (state of being dark) · cs tma (state of being dark) · ist tienabre (state of being dark) · pt escuridão (state of being dark) · el ζόφος (state of being dark) · ca foscor (state of being dark) · sa अन्धकार (state of being dark) · cs temnota (state of being dark) · rup ãntunearic (state of being dark) · grc ζόφος (state of being dark) · ar ظَلَام (state of being dark) · cy tywyllwch (state of being dark) · rif taǧǧest (state of being dark) · mg ny maìzina (state of being dark) · mi pōtangotango (state of being dark) · mr काळोख (state of being dark) · egy w-x-N2 (state of being dark) · de Dunkelheit (state of being dark) · sh tamnoća (state of being dark) · pt escuro (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · te అంధకారము (state of being dark) · lb Donkelheet (state of being dark) · ja 闇 (state of being dark) · id kegelapan (state of being dark) · uk те́мрява (state of being dark) · ro negreală (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · sh тамноћа (state of being dark) · pa ہَنیر (state of being dark) · egy z:n-k-N2-t:hrw (state of being dark) · da mørke (state of being dark) · izh pimmiä (state of being dark) · ar عَتَمَة (state of being dark) · bg тъмнина (state of being dark) · wmw kisi (state of being dark) · ta இருட்டு (state of being dark) · he חֹשֶׁךְ (state of being dark) · ko 암흑 (state of being dark) · cmn 黑暗 (state of being dark) · ro întuneric (state of being dark) · nl duisternis (state of being dark) · th ความมืด (state of being dark) · ee viviti (state of being dark) · tpi tudak (state of being dark) · qu laqha (state of being dark) · ca negror (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · el έρεβος (state of being dark) · ja 暗黒 (state of being dark) · ta இருள் (state of being dark) · ltg tymsums (state of being dark) · ltg timss (state of being dark) · mk мрак (state of being dark) · ru темнота́ (state of being dark) · gl tebras (state of being dark) · hrx tunkelheet (state of being dark) · el σκοτάδι (state of being dark) · fr obscurité (state of being dark) · sq terr (state of being dark) · rup ntunearic (state of being dark) · it tenebre (state of being dark) · yo òkùnkùn (state of being dark) · ro întunecime (state of being dark) · fr noirceur (the product of being dark) · nn mørke (state of being dark) · nb mørke (state of being dark) · yi פֿינצטערניש (state of being dark) · fr noirceur (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · hi अन्धेरा (state of being dark) · tzm ⵜⴰⵍⵍⴰⵙⵜ (state of being dark) · he עֲלָטָה (state of being dark) · tcb xéł (state of being dark) · uk темно́та (state of being dark) · mt dlam (state of being dark) · txb orkamo (state of being dark) · lmo scur (state of being dark) · se seavdnjat (state of being dark) · sq errësirë (state of being dark) · tr karanlık (state of being dark) · is myrkur (state of being dark) · se seavdnjatvuohta (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · gl escuridade (state of being dark) · az qaranlıq (state of being dark) · mk темнина (state of being dark) · it oscurità (state of being dark) · ro întristare (gloom) · sux 𒌓𒄷𒄭 (state of being dark) · sh tama (state of being dark) · lv tumsa (state of being dark) · pa ہَنیرا (state of being dark) · gl mourén (state of being dark) · gl escureza (state of being dark) · udi байинкъ (state of being dark) · et pimedus (state of being dark) · rup scutidi (state of being dark) · eo mallumo (state of being dark) · io tenebro (state of being dark) · kw tewlder (gloom) · is nifl (state of being dark) · pt obscuridade (state of being dark) · sh мрачност (state of being dark) · nv chahałheeł (state of being dark) · fi synkkyys (gloom) · be змрок (state of being dark) · zdj hidza (state of being dark) · ru мрак (state of being dark) · fi tummuus (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · enm derknesse (state of being dark) · te చీకటి (state of being dark) · sl tema (state of being dark) · nl schemering (gloom) · njo-jgl ammang (state of being dark) · yag akuš (state of being dark) · vi bóng tối (state of being dark) · ko 어두움 (state of being dark) · uk тьма́ (state of being dark) · es oscuridad (state of being dark) · zza tarı (state of being dark) · lt tamsa (state of being dark) · gl calixen (state of being dark) · chr ᎤᎳᏏᎬᎢ (state of being dark) · fr ténèbres (the product of being dark) · is ljósleysa (state of being dark) · it buio (gloom) · taa xeɬ (state of being dark) · kk түнек (state of being dark) · kmr tarîtî (state of being dark) · gd dubh (state of being dark) · grc σκότος (state of being dark) · fr sombreur (state of being dark) · es tinieblas (gloom) · gd dubh (the product of being dark) · sh мрачнина (state of being dark) · sux 𒋯 (state of being dark) · la obscuritas (state of being dark) · sa ध्वान्त (state of being dark) · se seavdnjadas (state of being dark) · ur اندھیرا (state of being dark) · tl kadiliman (state of being dark) · gd dorchadas (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · ms kegelapan (state of being dark) · uz qorongʻilik (state of being dark) · ca tenebres (gloom) · da mørke (gloom) · ca obscuritat (state of being dark) · mn харанхуй (state of being dark) · is dimma (state of being dark) · be це́мра (state of being dark) · la caligo (state of being dark) · ceb kangitngit (state of being dark) · oc foscor (state of being dark) · hu sötétség (state of being dark) · sux 𒂿 (state of being dark) · srn dungru (state of being dark) · ru тьма (state of being dark) · mi taipouri (state of being dark) · ckb تاریکی (state of being dark) · pl mrok (state of being dark) · it scuro (state of reflecting little light; tending to blackish or brownish) · km ភាពងងឹត (state of being dark) · ga dorchacht (state of being dark) · ru потёмки (state of being dark) · ka სიბნელე (state of being dark) · udi беъиънкъ (state of being dark) · sq mugëtirë (state of being dark) · gd dorchadas (state of being dark) · he אֲפֵלָה (state of being dark) · fi pimeys (state of being dark) · la nox (state of being dark) · sh тама (state of being dark) · sa रजस् (state of being dark) · mr अंधार (state of being dark) · egy k:k-w-N2 (state of being dark) · ka უკუნეთი (state of being dark) · pam kedalumduman (state of being dark) · nn mørker (state of being dark) · sh mračnina (state of being dark) · ast escuridá (state of being dark)

darkness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Antonyms

Deriveds

Hyponyms

Synonyms

Translations (242)