English
goodness
Goodness comes from Middle English goodnesse ‘a good or useful attribute or characteristic’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to unite, be associated, suit’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰedʰ-‘to unite, be associated, suit’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gōdaz‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gōd‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*gōdnassīreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150gōdnes
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500goodnesse‘a good or useful attribute or characteristic’
- Englishearliest quotation 1599goodness
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰedʰ-‘to unite, be associated, suit’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gōdaz‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gōd‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*gōdnassīreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150gōdnes
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500goodnesse‘a good or useful attribute or characteristic’
- Englishearliest quotation 1599goodness
Earliest quotation: 1599, William Shakespeare, The Life of Henry the Fift: “There is ſome ſoule of goodneſſe in things euill,…”
Formed from good + -ness
Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to unite, be associated, suit’
Proto-Germanic *gōdaz ‘good’
Proto-West Germanic *gōd ‘good’
Old English gōd ‘good’
Middle English good
English good
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to unite, be associated, suit’
together, gather, gad, bettering, 4 more
through Proto-Germanic *gōdaz ‘good’
Today it means
noun The state or characteristic of being good.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- / goodness