goodness

From Middle English goodnesse, godnesse, from Old English gōdnes (“goodness; virtue; kindness”), from Proto-West Germanic *gōdnassī (“goodness”), equivalent to good +‎ -ness. Cognate with Scots guidness (“goodness”), West Frisian goedens (“goodness”), Old High German guotnessī (“goodness”), Middle High German guotnisse (“goodness”), Russian годность (godnostʹ, “suitability, fitness”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊdnəs/, /ˈɡʊdnɪs/

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goodness (countable and uncountable, plural goodnesses)

1. (uncountable) The state or characteristic of being good.
   • 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 83, column 2:

     There is ſome ſoule of goodneſſe in things euill, / VVould men obſeruingly 'diſtill it out.

   • 2014 October 7, Amanda Bevill, Julie Kramis Hearne, World Spice at Home: New Flavors for 75 Favorite Dishes‎, Sasquatch Books, →ISBN, page 42:

     Rich, raisiny, smoky, coffee goodness: that is the flavor of urfa biber.

2. (countable) The good, nutritional, healthy part or content of something.
3. (uncountable, euphemistic) God.

   Thank goodness that the war is over!

4. (Christianity) The moral qualities which constitute Christian excellence; moral virtue.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 5:22–23, column 2:

     But the fruit of the ſpirit is loue, ioy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, / Meekeneſſe, temperance: againſt ſuch there is no law.

• See Thesaurus:goodness

• “goodness”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “goodness”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “goodness”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

goodness

1. Short form of goodness me.

• dog's nose