queasiness
Meaning
a feeling of nausea or sickness in the stomach.
a feeling of uneasiness, anxiety, or disgust.
Structure
Usage
the queasiness she felt after the boat ride took hours to subside.
a wave of queasiness overcame him as he looked down from the great height.
his moral queasiness about the plan made him reluctant to agree.
Etymology
the word 'queasiness' is formed from the adjective 'queasy', which entered middle english in the 15th century with meanings related to sickness and delicacy. its ultimate origin is obscure but may be linked to the old french 'coisier', meaning 'to hurt', or an old norse root suggesting 'uncomfortable'. the suffix '-ness' is a native english element from old english, used to form abstract nouns denoting a state or condition. thus, 'queasiness' literally means 'the state or condition of being queasy', evolving from a physical sensation of nausea to also encompass metaphorical feelings of unease or discomfort.
Analysis
queasy (from middle english 'queysy', of uncertain origin, possibly old norse or old french, meaning 'sick, delicate') + ness (from old english '-nes', a noun-forming suffix indicating state or quality).