Crossnesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state of being irritable or surly that affects one's mood and demeanor
2. the quality of displaying a sour or unfriendly disposition towards others
3. a condition characterized by frequent displays of annoyance or displeasure in behavior and communication

Etymology: The plural of "crossness" is "crossnesses," and the stem is simply the adjective "cross," which in English meant "angry" or "irritable" long before it meant anything about a crossroads or a crucifix. The word traces back through Middle English "cros" and Old Norse "kross" to the Proto-Italic and Latin "crux," so the adjective shares its ancestry with the Latin word for a cross, but the sense of ill temper developed within English itself rather than coming from Latin. The suffix "-ness" is an old Germanic formation that turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. It descends from Old English "-nes," which in turn comes from a Proto-Germanic form, and English has used it productively for centuries to build abstract nouns such as "kindness" or "darkness." Attaching it to "cross" gives a noun for the state of being cross. The plural "crossnesses" is the form of that noun counted as separate instances. Because "crossness" names a state, speakers pluralize it when they mean distinct episodes of bad temper, as in a person's repeated fits of irritation.

Synonyms: irritability, annoyance, grumpiness, pettiness, crankiness

Antonyms: pleasantness, cheerfulness, happiness, goodwill, kindness