Hoarsenesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state characterized by a rough or raspy voice due to irritation of the vocal cords
2. The condition involving a change in the quality of voice, often resulting in a deeper and less clear sound
3. A phenomenon indicating potential underlying issues with vocal health, leading to discomfort and alterations in speech clarity

Etymology: "Hoarsenesses" is simply the plural of "hoarseness", so it refers to several instances or kinds of a rough, croaking voice. The base word goes back to Old English "hāsnes", a noun formed from the adjective "hoarse" and the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. "Hoarse" itself traces back to Old English "hās", and the suffix "-ness" is one of English's most productive, familiar from words like "kindness" and "darkness". Over the centuries the spelling shifted to Middle English "hosnesse", and the "oa" spelling of "hoarse" only became standard later, so the modern form reflects a long process of respelling rather than a change in sense. The plural ending "-es" is what lets speakers count separate episodes of hoarseness, such as the voice problems of a singer across several performances.

Synonyms: roughness, raspiness

Antonyms: smoothness