earnestness

American  

[ur-nist-nis] / ˈɜr nɪst nɪs /

noun

1. seriousness and zeal in intention, purpose, or effort.

   Socrates was a man of great moral earnestness, and exemplified in his own life some of the noblest virtues.

2. depth and sincerity of feeling.

   Speak with conviction and earnestness, and the people watching and listening will believe you.

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Etymology

Origin of earnestness

earnest ¹ ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Explanation

Earnestness is a quality of sincere interest, belief, or opinion. The earnestness with which you recite your favorite poem might make your English class stop whispering and really listen. Your favorite history teacher's earnestness can be seen in the serious, intense way he talks about the Civil War or Prohibition. Little kids often approach the world with an earnestness that's reflected in their amazement and wonder at seemingly ordinary things, like fireflies or simple magic tricks. Earnestness comes from the adjective earnest, "showing sincere conviction," which has an Old English root, eornoste, "zealous."

Related Words

• ardor
• devotion
• enthusiasm
• fervor
• firmness
• intensity
• sincerity
• solemnity
• tenacity
• urgency
• warmth
• zeal