austereness

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English austere

Proto-Germanic *-in-

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti

Proto-Germanic *-ōną

Proto-Germanic *-inōną

Proto-Indo-European *-dyé-

Proto-Germanic *-atjaną

Proto-Indo-European *-tus

Proto-Germanic *-þuz

Proto-Germanic *-assuz

Proto-Germanic *-inassuz

Proto-West Germanic *-nassī

Old English -nes

Middle English -nesse

English -ness

English austereness

From austere + -ness.

Noun

austereness (uncountable)

1. The state of being austere
   1. harshness or astringent sourness to the taste; acerbity.
   2. severity; strictness; austerity.
      • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 70, column 1:

        VVho will beleeue thee Iſabell? / My vnſoild name, th' auſteereneſſe of my life, / My vouch againſt you, and my place i'th State, / VVill ſo your accuſation ouer-vveigh, / That you ſhall ſtifle in your ovvne report, / And ſmell of calumnie.

References

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