tightness C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas US /ˈtaɪtnəs/ UK /ˈtaɪtnəs/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun the state of being firmly fixed, taut, or constricted He felt a tightness in his chest as he stepped onto the stage. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · the state of being firmly... tautnessconstrictionfirmnesstensionrigidity ↔ Opposites loosenessslacknesslaxity Word family Related forms tighttightentightly Etymology AI details From tight (Middle English tight, of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse thettr 'watertight, dense') + the abstract-noun suffix -ness. thettr Old Norse View etymology graph -> Topics Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # tightness **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈtaɪtnəs/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈtaɪtnəs/ ## Meanings 1. the state of being firmly fixed, taut, or constricted ## Examples - He felt a tightness in his chest as he stepped onto the stage. ## Synonyms - tautness - constriction - firmness - tension - rigidity ## Antonyms - looseness - slackness - laxity ## Related Forms - tight - tighten - tightly ## Roots and Affixes - Root: thettr ## Etymology From tight (Middle English tight, of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse thettr 'watertight, dense') + the abstract-noun suffix -ness. ## AI Etymology Tightness is from tight (Middle English tight, of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse thettr 'watertight, dense') + the abstract-noun suffix -ness. Important recorded forms include thettr (Old Norse). Morphologically, the native -ness suffix turns an adjective or quality word into an abstract noun naming the state or condition. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers the state of being firmly fixed, taut, or constricted. The wider family includes related words such as tight, tighten, and tightly. ## Topics - Abstract Ideas - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown