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Added 9 October 2026

goodness

/ˈɡʊdnəs/ noun

In Latin: bonitās Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about goodness at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

That which is pleasing or valuable or useful.
weigh the good against the bad
Moral excellence or admirableness.
there is much good to be found in people

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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