lukewarmness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Middle English leuk Proto-Germanic *warmaz Proto-West Germanic *warm Old English wearm Middle English warm Middle English leukwarm English lukewarm 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 lukewarmness From lukewarm + -ness.

1. The property of being lukewarm; ambivalence, weakness.

   “1665, Robert Boyle, New Experiments and Observations Touching Cold, Discourse II, in The Works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, London: A. Millar, 1744, Volume II, p. 246, And indeed, there is scarce any quality, for whose differences we have fewer distinct names, having scarce any for the many degrees of coldness, that may be conceived to be intermediate, betwixt lukewarmness and the freezing degree of cold […]”

   “Mr. Hale was disappointed in his pupil’s lukewarmness about Greek literature, which had but a short time ago so great an interest for him.”