Venerableness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being worthy of respect and honor due to age, dignity, or moral excellence
2. The state of possessing a high degree of respect or reverence through age, experience, or ethical virtue
3. A condition characterized by being esteemed highly owing to age, wisdom, or moral integrity

Etymology: "Venerableness" is a plain formation: the adjective "venerable" with the suffix "-ness", which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. "Venerable" itself comes from Latin "venerabilis", meaning worthy of reverence, from the verb "venerari", to revere or worship. The suffix "-ness" is native English, descending from Old English "-nes", and it has been attached freely to adjectives for centuries, which is why English can produce a noun like this from almost any descriptive word. The story is therefore in the base word rather than the suffix. The Latin root carries an older sense of sacred dignity, which is why "venerable" often suggests something close to holy or time-honoured, not merely old. The noun names that quality as a condition a person or institution can hold, whether earned through years, experience, or moral character.

Synonyms: respectability, honorability, dignity, prestige, reverence

Antonyms: disrepute, dishonor, infamy, contempt, shame