plainness en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English plain Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną 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 plainness From plain + -ness.
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) The condition of being plain (in all senses)
Yet her beauty clung to her like an identity she was trying to deny and her plainness kept slipping like a bad disguise.
1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence And here choose I. Joy be the consequence!
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
- (countable, usually) The product or result of being plain
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| plainnesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
normalcy (condition of being plain—ordinary) · normality · normaldom · normalness
Translations (7)
de Schlichtheit (the condition of being plain) · ota سداجت (the condition of being plain) · bg простота (the condition of being plain) · de Einfachheit (the condition of being plain) · grc λιτότης (the condition of being plain) · ota سادهلك (the condition of being plain) · ota دوزلك (the condition of being plain)