Evenhandednesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. The quality or state of treating all parties, sides, or individuals fairly and impartially without bias or favoritism
  2. A disposition characterized by unbiased judgment and equal consideration toward everyone involved, ensuring fairness in decisions and actions
  3. The practice of maintaining neutrality and balance by giving equal weight and respect to differing views or interests in any situation

Etymology: The core of this word is "evenhanded," an adjective that originated in English by the early 17th century. The term itself combines "even," meaning level or equal, with "hand," which metaphorically represents action or treatment. To be evenhanded is to deal with matters impartially and fairly, as if using both hands equally without bias. This metaphor draws on the image of someone distributing something using both hands evenly rather than favoring one side, symbolizing fairness and balance. The suffix "-ness" is a common English formation that turns adjectives into nouns, denoting the state or quality of the root adjective. Thus, "evenhandedness" refers to the quality or characteristic of being evenhanded—fairness and impartiality. The plural form, "evenhandednesses," is simply the pluralization of this abstract noun, indicating multiple instances or types of such balanced fairness, which is rare but possible in contexts discussing different kinds or examples of fair treatment. This noun is relatively modern in usage compared to its adjective form, emerging as English developed more abstract nouns to describe qualities and states. It follows a common pattern in English of creating nuanced forms to discuss moral or ethical traits in a more precise or formal manner. While the plural form is unusual, it fits English’s flexible system of word formation where abstract nouns can be pluralized when discussing multiple examples or variations. Overall, this term is a clear example of English compounding and suffixation, where simple, concrete words like "even" and "hand" combine metaphorically and then gain abstract noun forms to express complex ideas about fairness and equity.

Synonyms: fairnesses, impartialities, neutralities, objectivities, equities

Antonyms: biases, partialities, inequalities, unfairnesses, discriminations