Terednesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An obsolete variant of tenderness, describing gentleness, softness, or a readiness to feel pity and care
2. An old form of the word for tenderness, meaning a gentle and affectionate quality of feeling or touch
3. A archaic spelling denoting the state of being tender, whether in physical softness or in kindness of manner

Etymology: "Terednesse" is a Middle English spelling of the word we now write as "tenderness." Medieval writers spelled the sound of the "nd" in "tender" inconsistently, and this form shows the variation. It is formed from the adjective "tender," meaning soft, delicate, or easily hurt, plus the suffix "-nesse," an Old English ending that turns an adjective into a noun for a quality. The adjective came into English from Old French "tendre," which descends from Latin "tenerus," meaning soft, young, or delicate. The sense of softness or fragility came first, and the later senses of gentleness and affection grew out of it. Since "terednesse" is a spelling variant rather than a separately coined word, its meaning is the same as the modern "tenderness."