kindliness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English kindly 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 kindliness From kindly + -ness.

1. The state of feeling kindly towards someone or something, or the actions inspired thereby.

   “Elmo looked upon his only granddaughter with kindliness, and often relented to her demands for chocolate.”

   “A father: no: In kynde a Father, but not in kyndlynes.”

2. Favourableness; mildness.

   “To the end that Kindliness of Nature may endure, chafing with Oyl in a moderate Quantity and Quality is very good for Men of decrepit Age, and for those that are growing Old.”

   “1798, Edward Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Canterbury: W. Bristow, 2nd edition, Volume 6, “Newington,” p. 42, […] great part of it […] was formerly planted with orchards of apples, cherries, and other kind of fruit, but these falling to decay, and the high price of hops yielding a more advantageous return, many of them were displanted, and hops raised in their stead, the scite of an old orchard, being particularly adapted for the purpose, which, with the kindliness of the soil for that plant, produced large crops of it […]”

3. Naturalness.