Topness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of occupying the highest position or rank among a group of things or people
2. The quality of being uppermost, highest, or foremost in place, rank, or standing
3. The state of sitting at the peak or summit of something, whether literal or figurative

Etymology: "Topness" is a plain compound: the noun "top" with the suffix "-ness," which English uses to turn adjectives and nouns into abstract nouns for a state or quality. "Top" itself comes from Old English "topp," meaning the highest point or summit of something, and the suffix "-ness" comes from Old English "-nes(s)," which is ultimately related to the word "-ness" in names of qualities like "kindness" and "darkness." Adding "-ness" to "top" produces a noun for the condition of being at the top, or the highest rank or position. The formation is productive but rare, and it tends to be used for a quality or standing rather than for a physical object, so "topness" describes a position in a hierarchy more than a place.

Synonyms: peakness, summit quality

Antonyms: bottomness