noun Uncommon

stiffness

Stiffness (noun) means the quality of being rigid or resistant to bending. Example: “Engineers test the stiffness of the beam before approving the design.”

noun

The quality of being rigid or resistant to bending.

"Engineers test the stiffness of the beam before approving the design."

"The stiffness of the new mattress took a while to get used to."

Soreness or tightness in the muscles, often after unusual exercise.

"He woke up with stiffness in his legs after the long hike."

"A hot bath can help ease muscle stiffness."

A lack of ease or naturalness in manner or style.

"There was a certain stiffness to his speech that made the audience uneasy."

How to use stiffness

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHow rigid, sore, or unnatural something is — a beam, a body, or a personality.

Common pairings

muscle stiffness joint stiffness social stiffness

Word forms

stiffnesses plural

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Fill the gap

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Engineers test the _____ of the beam before approving the design.

Etymology

From Old English stīþnes, built from "stiff" plus the noun ending "-ness".

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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severity hardness rigor harshness clumsiness awkwardness rigour severeness inclemency rigorousness gracelessness rigourousness

Related words

intensity precision severity cruelty hardness awkwardness clumsiness gracelessness

Frequently asked questions

What does “stiffness” mean?

The word “stiffness” means the quality of being rigid or resistant to bending. In plain terms, how rigid, sore, or unnatural something is — a beam, a body, or a personality.

How do you use “stiffness” in a sentence?

Here is “stiffness” used in a sentence: “Engineers test the stiffness of the beam before approving the design.”

What part of speech is “stiffness”?

“Stiffness” is a noun.

Where does the word “stiffness” come from?

The word “stiffness” comes from Old English. From Old English stīþnes, built from "stiff" plus the noun ending "-ness".

Is “stiffness” a common word?

“Stiffness” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “stiffness” have?

“Stiffness” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the quality of being rigid or resistant to bending.

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