hethenesse
Middle English
Alternative forms
- heðenesse, hethynnesse, hethenes, heþenesse, heþinesse, heþennisse, haðenesse, hethness, hethenenesse, heþennes, hethynes, heþynes, hathennes
Etymology
From Old English hǣþenes, hǣþennes; equivalent to hethen (“heathen”) + -nesse, but vowel reduction shows that by the Late ME period it was no longer analysed as such.
Pronunciation
Noun
hethenesse
- The portion of the world controlled or populated by pagans or Muslims, or any part of this portion of the world.
- heathenry, paganism; belief in a pagan religion.
- Pagan doctrine or habits; the trappings of a pagan religion.
- As well in Christendom as in Heatheness, Chaucer, Canterbury Tales[1]
Descendants
- English: heathenesse
References
- “hēthenes(se (n.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-28.