newsworthiness
UK[ˈnjuːzˌwɜːðinəs]US[ˈnuːzˌwɜːrðinəs]
n
the quality or fact of being interesting or important enough to be reported as news
Morpheme Breakdown
news
worthy
ness
news
new things
worthy
having worth or merit
ness
Etymology
the word 'newsworthiness' is a modern compound noun constructed from three english morphemes. its core, 'news', originates from the late middle english plural of 'new', reflecting the concept of 'new things' or recent reports. the adjective-forming suffix 'worthy', of old english origin meaning 'deserving', is appended to create 'newsworthy', describing something deserving of being news. finally, the old english abstract noun suffix '-ness' is added to form 'newsworthiness', denoting the quality or state of being deserving of news coverage. this logical construction transparently builds an abstract concept from the concrete idea of information's novelty and its inherent value for reporting.
Analysis
Structure: news + worthy + ness
news: from middle english 'newes', meaning 'new things', a plural of 'newe' (new). it functions as the base noun denoting recent information.
worthy: from old english 'wurþiġ', meaning 'having worth or merit'. it functions as an adjective-forming suffix attached to nouns.
ness: from old english '-nes', a suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives, indicating a state or quality.
Examples
the editor questioned the newsworthiness of the minor local event.
social media has changed the public's perception of what constitutes newsworthiness.
the scandal's impact and celebrity involvement greatly increased its newsworthiness.