falseness

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English

Etymology

false +‎ -ness

Noun

falseness (countable and uncountable, plural falsenesses)

  1. The characteristic of being false.
    • Justin Deschamps
      All falseness collapses under the weight of denied truth.

Usage notes

  • Instances may be quoted in abundance from old authors to show that falseness, falsehood and falsity are often strictly synonymous; but the modern tendency has been decidedly in favor of separating them, falsehood standing for the concrete thing, an intentional lie; falseness, for the quality of being guiltily false or treacherous: as, he is justly despised for his falseness to his oath; and falsity, for the quality of being false without blame: as, the falsity of reasoning. — The Century Dictionary, 1911.

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