Waggishness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The characteristic of being playful in a humorous manner embodies a light and mischievous spirit that brings joy to social interactions
2. A trait marked by a fondness for fun and jest, often leading to a lively and entertaining atmosphere in conversations
3. The quality of showing a lighthearted and joking manner that amuses others

Etymology: "Waggishness" is a plain formation: "waggish" plus the suffix "-ness," which English has attached to adjectives since Old English to turn a quality into a noun. The adjective "waggish" comes from "wag," a word for a joker or mischief-maker, with "-ish" added to give the sense "having the qualities of." So the noun names the state of being playful in that teasing, mischievous way. The "wag" at its root is the older and more interesting part. It has been used for a jester or prankster, and the verb "to wag" in the sense of moving to and fro gave rise to the image of a person's tongue or head wagging in mockery. Together with "-ish," that gives "waggish" the sense of someone behaving like a joker, and "waggishness" is the quality they display.

Synonyms: merriment, playfulness

Antonyms: seriousness, solemnity