likeliness

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈlaɪklinəs/ UK /ˈlaɪklinəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being probable; likelihood

The likeliness of rain kept the crowds away.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... likelihood probability chance plausibility prospect feasibility

Opposites

unlikelinessimprobability impossibility

Word family

Related forms likely like likelihood

Etymology

From Middle English likli (likely), from Old Norse líkligr ('likely, fit'), related to Old English ġelīc ('like, similar'), + the suffix -ness.

líkligr Old Norse -nes Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# likeliness

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

## Meanings
1. the quality of being probable; likelihood

## Examples
- The likeliness of rain kept the crowds away.

## Synonyms
- likelihood
- probability
- chance
- plausibility
- prospect
- feasibility

## Antonyms
- unlikeliness
- improbability
- impossibility

## Related Forms
- likely
- like
- likelihood

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: líkligr
- Root: -nes

## Etymology
From Middle English likli (likely), from Old Norse líkligr ('likely, fit'), related to Old English ġelīc ('like, similar'), + the suffix -ness.

## AI Etymology
Likeliness comes from Middle English likli (likely), from Old Norse líkligr ('likely, fit'), related to Old English ġelīc ('like, similar'), + the suffix -ness. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As a noun, it denotes "the quality of being probable; likelihood", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Old Norse líkligr and Old English -nes. Related words include likely, like, likelihood.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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