nastiness

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈnæstinəs/ UK /ˈnɑːstinəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being unpleasant, spiteful, or foul

There was a streak of nastiness in his otherwise charming manner.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... malicespitefulnessviciousness foulness unpleasantness meannessfilthiness

Opposites

kindness pleasantness niceness cleanliness

Word family

Related forms nasty nastily

Etymology

From nasty (of uncertain origin, first recorded in the late 14th century, perhaps from Old French nastre, 'bad, miserly', or from Dutch nestig, 'dirty') plus -ness.

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# nastiness

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

## Meanings
1. the quality of being unpleasant, spiteful, or foul

## Examples
- There was a streak of nastiness in his otherwise charming manner.

## Synonyms
- malice
- spitefulness
- viciousness
- foulness
- unpleasantness
- meanness
- filthiness

## Antonyms
- kindness
- pleasantness
- niceness
- cleanliness

## Related Forms
- nasty
- nastily

## Etymology
From nasty (of uncertain origin, first recorded in the late 14th century, perhaps from Old French nastre, 'bad, miserly', or from Dutch nestig, 'dirty') plus -ness.

## AI Etymology
Nastiness comes from nasty (of uncertain origin, first recorded in the late 14th century, perhaps from Old French nastre, 'bad, miserly', or from Dutch nestig, 'dirty') plus -ness. The same word family includes nasty, nastily. Its current noun use means "the quality of being unpleasant, spiteful, or foul".

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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