Godnesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Archaic term for moral excellence and uprightness of character ; the holy, perfect nature that belongs to God
2. An old word for virtue and righteousness in a person's conduct ; the sacred purity and perfection associated with the divine
3. Middle English name for virtuous character and moral rightness ; the holiness and divine essence attributed to the Almighty

Etymology: In Middle English, "godnesse" could mean the divine nature itself, the state of being God, as well as the everyday quality of goodness. Religious writers could use it either way, so a reader might not know whether a passage praised a person's virtue or the holiness of the divine. The word is built from "god" and the suffix "-nesse," which turns a noun or adjective into an abstract quality, as in "darkness" or "kindness." Literally, "godnesse" meant something like "godhood," the quality of being a god. The modern word "goodness" descends from it, but its spelling shifted toward the adjective "good," which came to dominate its sense of moral virtue. The older sense of divinity faded from everyday use.