Arduousnesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of being extremely difficult and demanding great effort to accomplish
2. A characteristic of tasks that require significant exertion or perseverance to achieve
3. The condition of involving hard work and considerable exertion, often leading to hardship or fatigue

Etymology: "Arduousnesses" is the plural of "arduousness," which is the noun form of "arduous," so the story belongs to the suffix. "Arduous" comes from Latin "arduus," meaning steep, lofty or difficult, and English took the adjective from it. The suffix "-ness" is a native English one, descended from Old English "-nes," which turned an adjective into a noun naming a quality or state, as in "good" becoming "goodness." Putting the two together gives a noun for the quality of being hard going: the steepness of a climb, transferred to effort in general. The plural form appears when speakers want to count separate instances of that quality, such as several distinct difficulties in a project.

Synonyms: difficulty, hardship, laboriousness, strenuousness, exertion

Antonyms: ease, simplicity, effortlessness, facilitation, comfort