English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English swetnes, swetnesse, from Old English swētnes (sweetness), from Proto-West Germanic *swōtinassī (sweetness), equivalent to sweet +‎ -ness. Cognate with West Frisian swietens (sweetness), obsolete Dutch zoetenis (sweetness), Old High German swuoznessi, suoznessi (sweetness).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

sweetness (countable and uncountable, plural sweetnesses)

  1. The condition of being sweet (all senses).
  2. A pleasant disposition; kindness.
    Ruth's overwhelming sweetness made Robert forget about his hopelessly low school grades.
  3. The quality of giving pleasure to the mind or senses, pleasantness, agreeableness.
  4. (informal) Term of address for one's sweetheart.
    • 1986, The Smiths (band), Bigmouth Strikes Again (song)
      Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking when I said / I'd like to smash every tooth in your head.
    • 2011, Kimberly Gibney, Over the Edge, page 66:
      "Hey sweetness," he said. "How was practice?"

Derived terms edit

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