Flatnesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state or quality of being smooth and even, without bumps or irregularities
2. The characteristic of having a uniform, level surface without slopes or raised areas
3. The condition of being perfectly even and lacking any curvature or elevation

Etymology: This is a Middle English spelling of "flatness," used when English still spelled its suffixes loosely. The ending is the Old English suffix "-nes(s)," which turns an adjective into an abstract noun of quality, as in "goodness" or "darkness." The "-e" at the end was a spelling convention of the period, not a separate ending. The base, "flat," came into English from Old Norse "flatr," which meant level or spread out, and it may have displaced or merged with an older Old English relative. That Old English relative, "flet," meant a floor or the floor of a hall, so the idea of a level surface sits underneath both the Norse and English senses. The core notion of "flat" has stayed remarkably stable, from ground underfoot to a flat tone of voice.