Clumsiness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈklʌm.zi.nəs/

Definitions

1. The quality of being awkward and lacking grace in movement or handling things
2. The state of exhibiting physical awkwardness and a lack of finesse in both movement and the management of objects
3. A condition characterized by a noticeable absence of coordination and grace in physical actions and the manipulation of items

Etymology: "Clumsiness" is a plain formation: the adjective "clumsy" with the suffix "-ness" attached. The suffix is the old productive one that turns adjectives into abstract nouns for a quality or state, and it has been doing this work in English since Old English, where it appeared as "-nes" and later "-nesse" before settling into its modern spelling. Adding it to "clumsy" yields a name for the condition of being clumsy, whether that shows up in a stumble on the stairs or in fumbling with a delicate object. The base adjective is the more interesting half of the story, and it sits outside the scope of this suffix alone. The word "clumsiness" simply reports a quality, so its meaning follows directly from "clumsy": awkwardness of body and hands, and a want of grace in handling things.

Synonyms: awkwardness, gawkiness, inelegance

Antonyms: gracefulness, dexterity