offensiveness
UK[əˈfensɪvnəs]US[əˈfensɪvnəs]
n
the quality of being unpleasant or insulting and likely to make people upset or annoyed.
n
the quality of being morally wrong or unacceptable.
Morpheme Breakdown
offens
ive
ness
offens
strike against
ive
adjective suffix
ness
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'offensiveness' is built upon the latin verb offendere, which literally meant 'to strike against'. this concrete sense evolved metaphorically to mean 'to displease, insult, or cause resentment', much like a physical strike causes harm. the adjective-forming suffix '-ive' was added to create 'offensive', describing something with the nature of causing such displeasure. finally, the old english abstract noun suffix '-ness' was appended, solidifying the concept into the quality or state of being insulting or morally objectionable, completing the journey from a physical clash to an abstract social and ethical quality.
Analysis
Structure: offens (strike against) + ive (adjective suffix) + ness (noun suffix)
- offens: from latin offens- (stem of offensus, past participle of offendere meaning 'to strike against, displease'), acting as the core root.
- ive: a suffix of latin origin (-ivus) used to form adjectives meaning 'of the nature of' or 'tending to'.
- ness: a noun-forming suffix from old english (-nes, -nis), used to denote a state, quality, or condition.
Examples
the offensiveness of his remarks led to an immediate apology.
many viewers complained about the show's offensiveness and lack of sensitivity.
the law considers the offensiveness of the conduct, not just the intent.