Smalnesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition or quality of being little in dimension or magnitude
2. Littleness in physical size or degree, as opposed to largeness or bulk
3. The state of having small proportions or limited extent in measure

Etymology: "Smalnesse" is a Middle English spelling of what is now "smallness." It is a straightforward formation: the adjective "small," from Old English "smæl," meaning thin or slender, plus the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality. Old English had the same suffix in forms like "-nes," and English kept using it to make new abstract nouns throughout the medieval period. The spelling "smalnesse" simply reflects how Middle English writers wrote the word before spelling standardized.