Pointiness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of having a shape that is characterized by sharp or tapering ends
2. The characteristic of an object or form that possesses a distinct sharp or tapered end
3. A feature describing how much something narrows to a fine or acute tip

Etymology: "Pointiness" is a plain formation: the adjective "pointy" with the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun meaning "the quality of being" that adjective. "Pointy" itself is built from "point," which came into Middle English from Old French "point," ultimately from Latin "pungere," "to prick," and "punctum," the thing pricked or the spot made by a prick. So the original sense of "point" was a physical puncture or a sharp tip, and "pointy" keeps that concrete sense. The suffix "-ness" is one of English's most productive tools. It descends from an Old English noun ending that appeared on many adjectives, and it lets speakers name a quality as a thing in itself. "Pointiness" therefore names the condition of a shape ending in a sharp tip, such as a spire, a pencil, or a pointed chin. The word is a transparent compound rather than a coinage with a memorable backstory, so its meaning follows straightforwardly from its parts.

Synonyms: sharpness, acuteness, edginess, tapering, 尖锐

Antonyms: bluntness, dullness, flatness, roundness, smoothness