Obtusenesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being dull or not sharp; a lack of perception or understanding; a state of being slow to comprehend or respond to a situation
2. A characteristic of having a blunt edge or point; an inability to grasp nuances or complexities; a trait involving sluggishness in mental or emotional responses
3. The condition of being inept or lacking insight; a failure to recognize subtle distinctions; the nature of being mentally slow or insensitive

Etymology: "Obtuseness" is formed from "obtuse" plus the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun for a state or quality. "Obtuseness" is itself a derivative, and the plural "obtusenesses" is simply that noun counted or considered as several distinct instances, which is how it appears when someone speaks of multiple lapses in perception or sensitivity. The base word "obtuse" carries a physical sense that the abstract meaning grew out of. In its original use it described a blunt edge or point, the opposite of "acute", and the mental sense of dullness or slowness developed from that image of something lacking a sharp edge. The suffix "-ness" has a long history in English, descending from Old English "-nes", and it has been attached freely to adjectives ever since, which is why "obtuseness" and its plural follow such a regular pattern.

Synonyms: dullness, bluntness, stupidity

Antonyms: sharpness, acuteness