Abashedness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈbæʃ.ɪd.nɪs/

Definitions

1. The state of being embarrassed or self-conscious often resulting in discomfort when interacting socially
2. A feeling of awkwardness or shame that manifests in personal interactions and can affect one's demeanor
3. A condition marked by feelings of embarrassment and self-consciousness that influences social interactions and personal behavior

Etymology: "Abashedness" is simply "abashed" with the suffix "-ness" attached, the same device that turns "happy" into "happiness" or "kind" into "kindness." "Abashed" is itself the past participle form of "abash," which comes from Old French "esbahir," meaning to astonish or stupefy, built from "es-" (out) and "bahir" (to gape). The original sense was closer to being struck dumb with wonder than to feeling embarrassed. The "-ness" suffix is Old English in origin, one of the oldest productive suffixes in the language, and it has been used to form abstract nouns for a very long time. Speakers apply it freely to adjectives and participles, which is how "abashedness" was formed on demand rather than inherited as a fixed term.

Synonyms: embarrassment, shame, discomfort

Antonyms: confidence, composure, pride