Flexibleness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The attribute of being capable of bending or reshaping without harm
2. The quality of an object or material to bend or curve easily without damage
3. The ability of something to be bent or shaped with ease and resilience

Etymology: "Flexibleness" is a plain formation: the adjective "flexible" with the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality. The base itself traces back to Latin "flexibilis," meaning capable of being bent, from "flectere," to bend. English "flexible" came through French, and "flexibleness" simply applies the native English suffix to that adjective. The suffix "-ness" has been productive in English since Old English, which is why it can be attached to nearly any adjective without much fuss. Because "flexibleness" is a regular derivation, its sense follows directly from its parts: the state of being flexible. Many writers prefer "flexibility" for this same idea, since the suffix "-ity" is the more common pairing with words ending in "-ible." Both forms mean the same thing, but "flexibility" is the one most dictionaries and everyday texts favor.

Synonyms: adaptability, pliability, suppleness, versatility, adjustability

Antonyms: rigidity, inflexibility, stiffness, unyieldingness, inadaptability