Dictionary

formlessness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɔɹmləsnəs/ (General-American)
• /ˈfɔːmləsnəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree English formless Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English formlessness From formless + -ness.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The quality of being formless.
   • The way by light and shade is, on the contrary, taken by men of the highest powers of though, and most earnest desire for truth ; they long for light, and for knowledge of all tthat light can show. But seeking for light, they perceive also darkness ; seeking for truth and substance, they find vanity. They look for form in the earth.—for dawn in the sky ; and seeking these, they find formlessness in the earth, and night in the sky. 1800, John Ruskin, Proserpina, Lovell, Coryell and Company, page 292:
   • There also in it, as used both by poets and philosophers, a similar idea of formlessness, but with more of a metaphysical reference to inward law or organization than to mere outward shape. 1855, Tayler Lewis, The Six Days of Creation, John Chapman, page 61:
   • But in truth neither is either, and both must be avoided. In sum, with the Sack, its formlessness is dangerous; with the Designer, its extremity is. 2006, Nicholas Antongiavanni [pseudonym; Michael Anton], The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 56:

Forms

Translations (7)

pl bezkształt (quality of being amorphous) · hu alaktalanság (quality of being amorphous) · bg безформеност (quality of being amorphous) · pl bezpostaciowość (quality of being amorphous) · pl magmowatość (quality of being amorphous) · pl bezkształtność (quality of being amorphous) · pl amorficzność (quality of being amorphous)