Sereness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being dry, withered or parched, especially when plant life has lost its moisture and color
2. The quality of something having dried out and faded, such as grass or leaves that have turned brown in the heat
3. A withered, parched state in which vegetation or land has lost its freshness and become brittle and lifeless

Etymology: "Sereness" is the state of being sere, meaning dry, withered, or parched, and it is built from that adjective plus the English suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or condition. "Sere" itself comes from Old English "sēar", meaning withered or dried up, a word that has long been used mostly in poetry and literary description of autumn leaves, dead grass, and drought-stricken land. Adding "-ness" gives a noun that names that dryness as a thing in itself, so the word describes the condition of having dried out rather than the dry object.

Synonyms: serenity, calm, tranquility, peacefulness, placidity

Antonyms: agitation, turmoil, unrest