Intentnesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of being deeply focused and attentive; the condition of having a firm determination or earnest purpose; a mental state characterized by concentrated effort and unwavering resolve
2. A condition marked by intense concentration and single-mindedness; the attribute of possessing a strong will and fixed aim; an aspect of thought involving persistent attention and deliberate intention
3. The attribute describing sustained focus and serious commitment; the mental disposition showing firm resolve and purposeful engagement; a psychological state defined by dedicated care and focused attention

Etymology: "Intentnesses" is the plural of "intentness", which is formed from "intent" plus the suffix "-ness". The suffix is ancient: its ancestors appear in Old English as "-nes", a noun-forming ending that turned adjectives into nouns of quality, so that "good" gave "goodness" and "dark" gave "darkness". Attaching it to "intent" produces a noun for the state of being intent. "Intent" itself came into English from Old French "entente" and Latin "intentus", the past participle of "intendere", meaning "to stretch out" or "to direct" toward something. That physical sense of stretching or aiming survives in the modern idea of a mind fixed on one target. "Intentness" thus names the quality of having that mental aim held taut, and the plural "intentnesses" is used for separate instances of such concentration.

Synonyms: focus, concentration, attention, absorption, engagement

Antonyms: distraction, inattention, absentmindedness, carelessness, neglect