English Explanatory Dictionary

stiffness

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Rigidity or a measure of rigidity.
  2. Inflexibility or a measure of inflexibility.
  3. Inelegance; a lack of relaxedness.
  4. Muscular tension due to unaccustomed or excessive exercise or work; soreness.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-stiffness.wav

Word forms

stiffness stiffnesses

Etymology

From Middle English stiffenes, styffenesse, styfnesse; equivalent to stiff + -ness. Perhaps merging with Middle English stithnesse, stithnysse, from Old English stīþness (“stiffness”).

Derived words

death-stiffness
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