English Explanatory Dictionary

goodness

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The state or characteristic of being good.
  2. The good, nutritional, healthy part or content of something.
  3. God.
  4. The moral qualities which constitute Christian excellence; moral virtue.
intj
  1. Clipping of goodness me or various similar exclamations such as goodness gracious.

Pronunciation

/ˈɡʊdnəs/ /ˈɡʊ(d)nɪs/ en-us-goodness.ogg

Word forms

goodness goodnesses

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”).

Synonyms

beneficence dogoodery good heroism virtue virtuousness

Antonyms

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

Derived words

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