Cleanness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkliːn.nəs/

Definitions

1. The state or quality of being free from dirt, stains, or impurities
2. The condition of having no dirt or contamination present
3. A measure of purity or tidiness, indicating absence of dirt or unclean elements

Etymology: "Cleanness" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it is "clean" with the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun naming a quality. The Old English form "clǣnnes" was built the same way, from the adjective "clǣne" plus the suffix "-nes," and it has been in use since the early medieval period. The pattern is ancient in English, and countless other adjectives have been given the same treatment. The adjective behind it has an interesting past of its own. Old English "clǣne" originally meant bright, pure or free from blemish rather than simply free from dirt, a sense that survives in phrases like "a clean sheet" or "a clean record." The modern sense of physical cleanliness grew out of that broader idea of purity, so "cleanness" carries both meanings at once.

Synonyms: purity, freshness, neatness

Antonyms: dirtiness, uncleanness, filth