Foxiness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being cleverly deceptive or sly ; having an alluring or attractive appearance, often with a sense of seduction
2. A trait marked by craftiness and shrewdness in actions or plans ; a charm or physical appeal that draws attention and admiration
3. The characteristic of being skillful in trickery or subtle manipulation ; possessing a striking and enticing physical allure

Etymology: Foxiness is a plain formation: the adjective "foxy" with the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun meaning the quality it describes. The suffix has a long pedigree. It descends from a Proto-Germanic ancestor and passed through Old English "-nes" and Middle English "-nesse" before settling into the modern form. The base word carries the interesting history. "Foxy" was first used of the animal itself, meaning fox-like, and from there it took on the sense of cunning, the trait people attributed to foxes in stories and proverbs. The "striking and enticing physical allure" sense is a later extension, applying the same sly, sharp-featured image to a person's looks. So foxiness names a quality that began as a description of an animal's wiles and was later stretched to cover charm and attractiveness.

Synonyms: cunning, slyness, cleverness, craftiness, shrewdness

Antonyms: naivety, innocence, gullibility, simplicity, foolishness