softness

UK/ˈsɒftnəs/US/ˈsɔftnəs/

nounB2Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #10,813 of 15,258neutral

Softness is the quality of yielding gently to touch. The softness of the wool, softness of tone, a certain softness.

It covers touch, sound, light and character with the same word, which is unusual — a soft fabric, a soft voice, a soft light and a soft heart share only the sense of not being harsh. Water hardness and softness is a measure of dissolved minerals. Note soft, soften; and that the Old English word meant gentle or agreeable.

Definitions of softness

1nounsoftnessThe quality of yielding gently to touch.B2
“She loved the softness of the new blanket against her cheek.”

softness is a quality of yielding.

Where it comes from

Old English softnes is soft plus -ness. The Old English soft meant gentle or agreeable rather than yielding.

Old English
sōftnes
Middle English
softnesse
English, today
softness

From Middle English softnesse, from Old English sōftnes, alteration of earlier sēftnes. Equivalent to soft + ness.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Word Building

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softness in the wild

The blend decreases the softness and halo as well as the price of the finished object.
Angora wool
Flannel may be brushed to create extra softness or remain unbrushed.
Flannel
If the flannel is not napped, it gains its softness through the loosely spun yarn in its woven form.
Flannel
Unlike the flat cap, the inside is not lined with silk but the closed-in design and softness of felt still provides comfort and warmth.
Ascot cap
Clay additionally detangles the hair and gives it softness.
Hair clay

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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