Drynesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The property of being devoid of moisture or of having had liquid removed from it
2. The state of containing little to no water or liquid ; a quality of being dull or unengaging in manner or style
3. A condition marked by scarcity of dampness or wetness ; a characteristic of being tedious or lacking warmth in expression

Etymology: "Drynesse" is an older spelling of "dryness," the state of being dry. It is built from the adjective "dry," which comes from Old English "drȳge," and the suffix "-ness," which Old English used to turn adjectives into nouns of quality, as in "goodness" or "darkness." English later simplified the spelling, but the Middle English form shows the two parts clearly, with the "-nes" ending still audible. The root "dry" has relatives in other Germanic languages. Dutch "droog" is a close cognate with the same basic sense, which is why the English word sounds familiar to Dutch speakers. The noun has stayed close to its physical meaning of lacking moisture, with figurative uses such as dry humour or dry wit extending it into tone rather than texture.