Misshapenness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of being irregularly or distortedly shaped, lacking proper or expected form
2. The quality of having a twisted, malformed, or asymmetrical appearance rather than a normal outline
3. The condition of possessing an abnormal or deformed structure that deviates from the usual shape

Etymology: "Misshapenness" is a plain compound: "misshapen" with the suffix "-ness" added, which turns an adjective into a noun for the state or quality of being that adjective. "Misshapen" is itself formed from "mis-", a prefix meaning "wrongly" or "badly," attached to "shapen," an old past participle of "shape." So the word literally means the condition of having been badly formed. The "-ness" suffix is one of the oldest and most productive ways English builds abstract nouns, going back to Old English, and it still attaches freely to adjectives such as "kindness" or "darkness." The combination "misshapen" plus "-ness" follows the same pattern, producing a noun for the quality of irregularity or deformity in a thing's form.