Iciness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being very cold or covered with frost ; the feeling or manner of showing unfriendliness or emotional coldness
2. A state characterized by low temperature or frost formation ; a demeanor marked by aloofness or lack of warmth
3. The attribute of having chilling coldness or frostiness ; the quality of expressing hostility or social distance

Etymology: "Iciness" is a plain compound: the adjective "icy" with the suffix "-ness" attached. "Icy" comes from "ice," and the suffix turns a quality into a noun, so the word names the state of being icy. The suffix itself has deep roots. It descends from a Proto-Germanic formation that was used to build abstract nouns from adjectives, and it reached English through Old English "-nes" and Middle English "-nesse." The same suffix produces words like "kindness" and "darkness," and "iciness" follows that pattern exactly. The word's meaning is literal from start to finish. It describes the bitter, penetrating cold of ice or a frozen surface, and it can also be used figuratively for a cold, unfriendly manner, as in "the iciness of her reply." The figurative use grows naturally from the same root sense, since the suffix simply marks the quality, whether it belongs to the weather or to a person.

Synonyms: coldness, frigidness, chilliness, coolness, frostiness

Antonyms: warmth, heat, hotness, fervor, passion