Unexpectednesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of being unforeseen or surprising in various events or outcomes; the presence of unforeseen elements in a situation; occurrences that defy anticipation or prediction
2. The characteristic of happening without warning or prior indication; the condition of events arising suddenly and without expectation; instances that contradict usual forecasts or plans
3. The nature of something being sudden and unpredicted; the attribute of surprises occurring in circumstances; the existence of results or happenings that break from expected patterns

Etymology: "Unexpectednesses" is the plural of "unexpectedness," a noun built from the adjective "unexpected" plus the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. The adjective itself combines the prefix "un-" ("not") with "expected," from Latin "exspectare," meaning "to look out for," which is also the source of "expect." "Unexpectedness" is a formation built from English parts, so it has no older foreign history to trace. Its plural form, "unexpectednesses," follows the same pattern as other abstract nouns that can be counted when they refer to individual instances. Speakers use it mainly to point to specific surprises rather than to the general quality, as in "the unexpectednesses of the trip."

Synonyms: surprise, shock, amazement, astonishment, startle

Antonyms: expectation, predictability, certainty, foresight