cloudiness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English cloudy Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English cloudiness From cloudy + -ness.

1. Of the sky, weather, etc.: the state of being cloudy.

   “Expect considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers.”

   “[W]hy vvhat's the matter? / That you haue ſuch a Februarie face, / So full of froſt, of ſtorme, and clovvdineſſe.”

2. Of a liquid: the property of being murky.

   “Cloudiness in the water is most often caused in new aquariums by white bacteria.”

   “The cloudiness of the windows on the cars, caused by the degradation of the polycarbonate material of which they are made.”

3. Of information, a writing style, etc.: the property of being obscure.

   “Avoid cloudiness in your essay-writing.”