neutrality
UK[njuːˈtræləti]US[nuːˈtræləti]
n
The state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict or disagreement.
n
Absence of decided views, expression, or strong feeling.
n
The condition of being chemically or electrically neutral.
Morpheme Breakdown
neutr
al
ity
neutr
neither
al
adjective suffix
ity
noun suffix
Etymology
The concept of neutrality is built upon the Latin adjective neuter, meaning "neither." This term itself is a compound of the negative particle ne- and uter, meaning "which of two." It fundamentally describes a position of non-involvement between two opposing sides. Through French influence, the adjective "neutral" was formed by adding the suffix -al to the root, creating a word meaning "of or pertaining to a neither position." Finally, the abstract noun "neutrality" was derived by appending the suffix -ity, which concretizes the concept into a state or principle of non-alignment, impartiality, or chemical balance.
Analysis
Structure: neutr (neither) + al (adjective suffix) + ity (noun suffix)
neutr: From Latin neuter ("neither"), from ne- ("not") + uter ("either"). It functions as the core root conveying the sense of "neither one nor the other."
al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis) used to form adjectives meaning "of or pertaining to."
ity: A noun-forming suffix of Latin origin (-itas) used to denote a state or condition.
Examples
The country maintained a policy of strict neutrality during the war.
His tone of voice was studied neutrality, giving away no personal opinion.
The neutrality of the solution was confirmed by a pH test.