steadiness

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈstɛdinəs/ UK /ˈstɛdinəs/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being firm, stable, and constant

The surgeon's steadiness of hand was remarkable under pressure.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being firm,... stability firmness constancy steadfastness balance composure reliability

Opposites

instability unsteadiness shakinesswobbliness

Word family

Related forms steady stead

Etymology

From 'steady' (from 'stead', a place, with the adjectival sense of fixed in place) plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness'.

stede Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# steadiness

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

## Meanings
1. the quality of being firm, stable, and constant

## Examples
- The surgeon's steadiness of hand was remarkable under pressure.

## Synonyms
- stability
- firmness
- constancy
- steadfastness
- balance
- composure
- reliability

## Antonyms
- instability
- unsteadiness
- shakiness
- wobbliness

## Related Forms
- steady
- stead

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: stede

## Etymology
From 'steady' (from 'stead', a place, with the adjectival sense of fixed in place) plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness'.

## AI Etymology
Steadiness is from 'steady' (from 'stead', a place, with the adjectival sense of fixed in place) plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness'. Important recorded forms include stede (Old English). Morphologically, the native -ness suffix turns an adjective or quality word into an abstract noun naming the state or condition. The semantic development is already visible in the history: an older concrete or specialized use was extended into the modern meaning rather than replaced by a separate origin. In current use it covers the quality of being firm, stable, and constant. The wider family includes related words such as steady and stead.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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steadiness

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