forgetness

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /fɚˈɡɛtnəs/ UK /fəˈɡɛtnəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
forgetfulness; the state of being forgotten or oblivious

A merciful forgetness softened the sharp edges of his grief.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · forgetfulness; the state of... forgetfulness oblivion obliviousnessamnesia

Opposites

remembrance memory recollection

Word family

Related forms forget forgetful forgetfulness

Etymology

From forget (Old English forgietan 'to lose hold of, fail to remember', from for- 'away' plus gietan 'to grasp') plus the abstract suffix -ness. A rare and archaic synonym of forgetfulness.

forgietan Old English -ness Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# forgetness

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /fɚˈɡɛtnəs/
**IPA (UK):** /fəˈɡɛtnəs/

## Meanings
1. forgetfulness; the state of being forgotten or oblivious

## Examples
- A merciful forgetness softened the sharp edges of his grief.

## Synonyms
- forgetfulness
- oblivion
- obliviousness
- amnesia

## Antonyms
- remembrance
- memory
- recollection

## Related Forms
- forget
- forgetful
- forgetfulness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: forgietan
- Root: -ness

## Etymology
From forget (Old English forgietan 'to lose hold of, fail to remember', from for- 'away' plus gietan 'to grasp') plus the abstract suffix -ness. A rare and archaic synonym of forgetfulness.

## AI Etymology
Forgetness comes from forget (Old English forgietan 'to lose hold of, fail to remember', from for- 'away' plus gietan 'to grasp') plus the abstract suffix -ness. A rare and archaic synonym of forgetfulness. The development is chiefly inherited within English and its older relatives, with the later form continuing material already present in the language's ancestry. In present use, it is used as a noun meaning "forgetfulness; the state of being forgotten or oblivious", so the historical material remains connected with the current sense rather than standing as bare ancestry. The wider English family includes related forms such as forget, forgetful, and forgetfulness, showing how the same historical material continues to organize neighboring vocabulary. The named historical forms include Old English forgietan and Old English -ness, keeping the history tied to concrete forms rather than a loose resemblance.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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