Unlikelinesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state or condition of being unlikely, often characterized by a low probability of occurrence or realization
2. Instances or situations that are improbable, suggesting an absence of anticipated or usual outcomes
3. The quality of being improbable or unexpected, reflecting scenarios that deviate from what is commonly believed to happen

Etymology: "Unlikelinesses" is simply the plural of "unlikeliness," which is "unlikely" with the suffix "-ness" attached. The suffix comes from Old English "-nes," a noun-forming ending that turns an adjective into the state or quality it describes; "unlikely" itself is a compound of "un-" and "likely," which in turn descends from the older sense of "like" as "similar" or "resembling." So an unlikeliness is literally the condition of not resembling what one expects to happen. The plural form exists because "unlikeliness" is a countable noun in use: writers sometimes speak of several distinct improbabilities or separate instances of something improbable, and English allows that with abstract nouns ending in "-ness," such as "kindnesses" or "weaknesses." The plural is rare, and most readers will meet the singular far more often.

Synonyms: improbabilities, implausibilities, impossibilities, doubtfulness, uncertainties

Antonyms: likelihoods, probabilities, possibilities, certainties, chances