Vastnesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality or state of being immense or exceedingly extensive in size or scope; a measure of great expanse in geography or ideas; the overwhelming sense of spaciousness or boundlessness in an area or concept
2. An expanse characterized by vast dimensions that evoke sensations of enormity or distance; a representation of extensive stretches either physically or metaphorically; the profound feeling derived from experiencing wide-open spaces or limitless possibilities
3. The condition of having great depth or range, often relating to physical landscapes or abstract notions; a concept reflecting the idea of infinite space or great proportions; the emotional impact of encountering immense environments or large-scale ideas

Etymology: "Vastnesses" is simply the plural of "vastness," a noun formed from the adjective "vast" plus the suffix "-ness." The adjective "vast" entered English in the 1500s, borrowed from Latin "vastus," meaning empty, desolate or immense. The suffix "-ness" is the native English device, descended from Old English "-nes," that turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state: "good" becomes "goodness," "dark" becomes "darkness." Because "vastness" names a quality rather than a thing, it is usually uncountable, and the plural "vastnesses" is comparatively rare. Its use in the plural treats each separate immense expanse as its own instance of that quality, so a writer might speak of the vastnesses of desert, sea and sky as distinct experiences of enormity.

Synonyms: immensities, expanses, extensiveness

Antonyms: smallness, narrowness