greatness

From Middle English gretnesse, gretnes, greetnesse, from Old English grēatnes. Equivalent to great +‎ -ness.

• enPR: grātʹnəs, IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹeɪtnəs/
• Hyphenation: great‧ness

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greatness (countable and uncountable, plural greatnesses)

1. The state, condition, or quality of being great

   Due to the greatness of his size, he was an effective bodyguard.

   greatness of mind

   • c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:

     Mal. Some are borne great... Some atcheeue greatnesse... And some haue greatnesse thrust vpon them.

   • 1964, Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 147:

     Until then I had felt that what a great writer I was had been carefully kept secret between myself and my wife and only those people we knew well enough to speak to. I was glad Scott had come to the same happy conclusion as to this possible greatness, but I was also glad he was beginning to run out of his speech.

   • 2012 June 29, Kevin Mitchell, “Roger Federer Back from Wimbledon 2012 Brink to Beat Julien Benneteau”, in The Guardian‎, archived from the original on 15 November 2016:

     He showed his greatness when it mattered, but his occasional weakness too.

2. (obsolete): Pride; haughtiness.
   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

     It is not of pride or greatness that he cometh not aboard your ships.

• magnum opus
• genius

• “greatness”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

• Tressange, estranges, seargents, sergeants