Dearness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdɪə(ɹ)nəs/

Definitions

1. The state of something having a high cost or being expensive ; a feeling of strong affection or fondness for someone
2. A condition where the price of goods or services is elevated ; an emotional attachment or tenderness toward a person
3. When prices rise making items costly ; a warm and loving feeling toward another individual

Etymology: "Dearness" is about as transparent as English compounds get: the adjective "dear" with the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. The suffix itself has deep roots. It descends from Proto-Germanic "-assuzjō" through Old English "-nes" and Middle English "-nesse", and its ancestors go back to a Proto-Indo-European noun-forming ending, so the same pattern that gives us "kindness" and "sadness" runs through this word too. The more interesting twist lies in the adjective. "Dear" once meant "precious, beloved, valued highly" and only later came to mean "costly" in the commercial sense. That is why "dearness" carries both senses today: the financial one, where something is expensive, and the emotional one, a fondness for someone who is held dear. The price sense is the one that came to dominate everyday talk about goods, while the affectionate sense kept its place in the language of love and friendship.

Synonyms: costliness, expensiveness, value, dear, high price

Antonyms: cheapness, inexpensiveness, affordability