Naturalnesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being in accordance with nature or the natural world
2. A state characterized by authenticity and lack of artificiality
3. The condition of reflecting genuine or instinctive behaviors without pretense

Etymology: "Naturalnesses" is simply the plural of "naturalness," so the two-part story here is short. "Natural" came into English from Old French "naturel," ultimately from Latin "naturalis," meaning belonging to nature or birth. The suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality, is an old native English element, traceable to Old English "-nes(s)," and was attached to "natural" in Middle English to form "naturalnes" and its variant "naturalnez." The plural form is rare, since "naturalness" is normally used as an uncountable noun for the quality itself. It appears mainly when writers want to speak of several distinct instances or kinds of that quality, as when discussing different naturalnesses in paintings or styles.