uncanniness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English uncanny 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 uncanniness From uncanny + -ness.
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) The state or condition of being uncanny.
For decades, humankind steeled itself for the rise of thinking machines. As we marveled at their ability to beat chess champions and predict protein structures, we also recoiled from their inherent uncanniness, not to mention the threats to our sense of humanity.
2025 December 11, Charlie Campbell, Andrew R. Chow and Billy Perrigo, “The Architects of AI Are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year”, in Time:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| uncanninesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
weirdness · eerieness · spookiness · eeriness