Dictionary

goodness en · INTJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɡʊ(d)nɪs/
• /ˈɡʊdnəs/

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”).

Meanings

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping) Clipping of goodness me or various similar exclamations such as goodness gracious.
   alt of goodness me or various similar exclamations such as goodness gracious

goodness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɡʊ(d)nɪs/
• /ˈɡʊdnəs/

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”).

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The state or characteristic of being good.
   • 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:
   • 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:
2. (countable) The good, nutritional, healthy part or content of something.
3. (euphemistic, uncountable) God.
   • Thank goodness that the war is over!
4. (countable, uncountable) 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:

Forms

Antonyms

knavery · depravity · villainy · rascality · badness · villainousness · immorality · evilness · atrociousness · scoundrelry · criminality · vileness · villainhood · evil · wickedness · turpitude · corruptness

Deriveds

oh my goodness · thank goodness · goodness knows · out of the goodness of one's heart · goodness gracious · my goodness · goodness gracious me · oh my goodness gracious · goodness me · nongoodness · honest to goodness · honest-to-goodness

Hyponyms

probity

Synonyms

virtue · dogoodery · good · heroism · beneficence · virtuousness

Translations (102)

fr vertubleu (euphemistically: God) · fr morbleu (euphemistically: God) · ru добро́ (good part or content of something) · sco guidness (state or characteristic of being good) · ar خَيْر (state or characteristic of being good) · oc bonesa (state or characteristic of being good) · ro bunătate (state or characteristic of being good) · gl bondade (state or characteristic of being good) · nl goedheid (state or characteristic of being good) · fi hyvyys (Christianity: moral virtue) · fr têtebleu (euphemistically: God) · es bondad (state or characteristic of being good) · grc ἀγαθοσύνη (state or characteristic of being good) · acw خير (state or characteristic of being good) · tr iyilik (state or characteristic of being good) · sw uzuri (state or characteristic of being good) · fr parbleu (euphemistically: God) · iso evboma (state or characteristic of being good) · ln boboto (state or characteristic of being good) · grc ἀγαθότης (state or characteristic of being good) · fr maugrébleu (euphemistically: God) · pro bontat (state or characteristic of being good) · bg добродетел (Christianity: moral virtue) · ca bondat (state or characteristic of being good) · sq mirësi (state or characteristic of being good) · fr sacrebleu (euphemistically: God) · lt gera (good part or content of something) · de Integrität (state or characteristic of being good) · ca bonesa (state or characteristic of being good) · fr jarnicoton (euphemistically: God) · hu jóság (state or characteristic of being good) · frp bontât (state or characteristic of being good) · de Tugend (state or characteristic of being good) · cho achukma (state or characteristic of being good) · fr rogntudju (euphemistically: God) · rup bunãtati (state or characteristic of being good) · fi hyvyys (state or characteristic of being good) · de Herzensgüte (state or characteristic of being good) · fur bontât (state or characteristic of being good) · ru доброде́тель (Christianity: moral virtue) · pl dobro (state or characteristic of being good) · fr jarnibleu (euphemistically: God) · fr nom d’une pipe (euphemistically: God) · bni boboto (state or characteristic of being good) · mk добрина (state or characteristic of being good) · fr bonté (state or characteristic of being good) · enm goodnesse (Christianity: moral virtue) · bg добрина (state or characteristic of being good) · fr ventrebleu (euphemistically: God) · ast bondá (state or characteristic of being good) · fr nom d’un chien (euphemistically: God) · lt gerumas (state or characteristic of being good) · fr palsambleu (euphemistically: God) · fr maugrebleu (euphemistically: God) · de Güte (state or characteristic of being good) · vi lòng tốt (state or characteristic of being good) · fr tubleu (euphemistically: God) · la bonitās (state or characteristic of being good) · io boneso (state or characteristic of being good) · vot üvüz (state or characteristic of being good) · fr nom d’un petit bonhomme (euphemistically: God) · it bontà (state or characteristic of being good) · kmr qencî (state or characteristic of being good) · txb kärtsauñe (state or characteristic of being good) · ga maitheas (state or characteristic of being good) · pt bondade (state or characteristic of being good) · ar صَلَاح (good part or content of something) · sv godhet (state or characteristic of being good) · ta நல்லது (state or characteristic of being good) · uga 𐎉𐎁 (state or characteristic of being good) · fr par Toutatis (euphemistically: God) · fi hyvä (good part or content of something) · tl buti (state or characteristic of being good) · eo boneco (state or characteristic of being good) · enm goodnesse (state or characteristic of being good) · fr corbleu (euphemistically: God) · goh guotī (state or characteristic of being good) · fr crebleu (euphemistically: God) · ru доброта́ (state or characteristic of being good) · fr par Jupiter (euphemistically: God) · got 𐌲𐍉𐌳𐌴𐌹 (state or characteristic of being good) · te మంచితనము (state or characteristic of being good) · pl dobroć (state or characteristic of being good) · itk טובזה (state or characteristic of being good) · oc bontat (state or characteristic of being good) · de Gütigkeit (state or characteristic of being good) · el καλοσύνη (state or characteristic of being good) · ar خَيْر (good part or content of something) · fr nom de Zeus (euphemistically: God) · fr morguienne (euphemistically: God) · fro bonté (state or characteristic of being good) · izh hyvvyys (state or characteristic of being good) · kmr başî (state or characteristic of being good) · ga maith (state or characteristic of being good) · sh dobrota (state or characteristic of being good) · fr sambleu (euphemistically: God) · got 𐍃𐌴𐌻𐌴𐌹 (state or characteristic of being good) · bg доброта (state or characteristic of being good) · cs dobrota (state or characteristic of being good) · fr scrogneugneu (euphemistically: God) · fr bonté divine (euphemistically: God) · he טוֹב (state or characteristic of being good)