insidiousness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English insidious 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 insidiousness From insidious + -ness.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) A surreptitious harmfulness, quality of entrapment, or treacherousness; the characteristic of being insidious.
This lent a new insidiousness to his temptation, since her contempt would be a refuge from his own.
1900, Edith Wharton, chapter 8, in The Touchstone:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| insidiousnesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Translations (2)
bg коварство (the characteristic of being insidious) · es insidia (the characteristic of being insidious)