directness

English

Etymology tree

English direct

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 directness

From direct + -ness.

directness (usually uncountable, plural directnesses)

The state or quality of being direct.
- 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:
  He hesitated, and then flung out the question almost with a passionate directness: "What was it, sir; in God's name, what was it?"