Perilousness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being dangerously risky or hazardous exemplifies a state fraught with extreme danger
2. The quality of being marked by significant threats and hazards indicates a high-risk environment
3. The state of being filled with serious risks and dangers highlights an existence where safety is constantly at stake

Etymology: "Perilousness" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "perilous" with the noun-forming suffix "-ness," which English has attached to adjectives since Old English to name a quality or state. "Perilous" itself came into English from Anglo-French "perilous," which in turn traces back to Latin "periculosus," meaning dangerous or full of risk, from "periculum," a trial or danger. The adjective is the older and more common of the pair, and the suffix did the rest. Speakers could take almost any adjective and turn it into a noun for the condition it describes, so "perilousness" names the state of being perilous rather than a particular peril. The word is a useful example of how English grammar lets a single adjective generate an abstract noun on demand.

Synonyms: danger, riskiness, hazardousness, jeopardy, threat

Antonyms: safety, security, certainty, protection, stability