Peakedness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state or quality of something having a distinct sharp or pointed peak
2. A characteristic describing the presence of a noticeable high point or apex in shape or form
3. The condition of exhibiting a clear or prominent peak or summit

Etymology: "Peakedness" is a plain formation: the adjective "peaked," meaning having a peak, with the suffix "-ness" added to turn it into a noun for a quality or state. The suffix is one of English's most productive, attached to adjectives since Old English to name qualities, so the word follows the same pattern as "sharpness" or "darkness." The base "peaked" comes from "peak," which the word shares with "pike" and the sense of a pointed tip, so the idea behind the whole word is a sharp top rising to a point. Words built this way often describe measurable shapes, and "peakedness" is commonly applied to how pointed a curve or distribution looks.