Jerkinesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of exhibiting sudden, sharp movements
2. The experience of physical awkwardness marked by irregular, discontinuous motions
3. A condition characterized by a lack of smoothness or fluidity in actions or behaviors

Etymology: Jerkinesses is simply the plural of "jerkiness," so it is the form that the noun takes when one is counting or comparing several instances of the quality. "Jerkiness" is formed from "jerky," an adjective meaning moving in sudden, sharp, irregular starts, plus the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a state or quality. The suffix itself has deep roots, traceable through Old English "-nes" and "-nesse" back to Proto-Germanic forms, but in practice it is a productive English tool that has been used to make abstract nouns for centuries. The adjective "jerky" is the more interesting half of the story. It derives from "jerk," a verb meaning to pull or thrust something with a sudden, sharp motion, and the "-y" ending that turns it into an adjective describing things that move in such a manner. The noun "jerkiness" therefore names the quality of being jerky, whether in a film that stutters, a car that lurches, or a voice that breaks into abrupt pauses.