Falseness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The attribute of lacking truthfulness or sincerity, often marked by deception and an absence of authenticity
2. The quality of being untrue or not genuine, often implying deceit or insincerity
3. A condition characterized by dishonesty or the absence of realness in character or information

Etymology: "Falseness" is a plain compound: the adjective "false" with the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun naming a quality. Its history therefore lies mostly in its two parts. "False" came into English from Old French "faus" (from Latin "falsus," the past participle of "fallere," "to deceive"), and the suffix "-ness" is native English, descended from Old English "-nes," which goes back to Germanic roots and once formed abstract nouns freely from almost any adjective. The combination reflects that productivity. English speakers could attach "-ness" to nearly any adjective, so "falseness" was formed as needed, adding a noun for the quality of being false to the existing noun "falsehood." The two words overlap, but "falsehood" tends to name an individual lie or untruth, while "falseness" names the underlying condition of dishonesty or unreality in a person or thing.

Synonyms: dishonesty, deception, insincerity, untruthfulness, falsity

Antonyms: truth, honesty, sincerity, integrity, authenticity