soulfulness
UK[ˈsəʊlf(ə)lnəs]US[ˈsoʊlf(ə)lnəs]
n
the quality of expressing deep, sincere, and often sad emotion.
n
the state or quality of having or showing deep feeling, seriousness, or earnestness.
Morpheme Breakdown
soul
ful
ness
soul
spirit, essence
ful
full of
ness
state or quality
Etymology
the word 'soulfulness' is a modern english formation built upon the ancient concept of the 'soul'. its core, 'soul', originates from old english 'sāwol', a term for the spiritual essence or animating principle of a being, with probable proto-germanic roots. the suffix '-ful', meaning 'full of', was attached to create the adjective 'soulful', describing something imbued with deep, often melancholic, feeling or spiritual intensity. finally, the abstract noun-forming suffix '-ness' was added, converting the adjective into the quality it represents. thus, the literal construction 'full of soul' evolved into the modern abstract term denoting a profound depth of sincere emotion or earnestness.
Analysis
Structure: soul (spirit, essence) + ful (full of) + ness (state or quality)
soul: from old english 'sāwol, sāwel', meaning the spiritual or immaterial part of a person.
ful: a suffix of germanic origin (old english '-full') meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by'.
ness: a noun-forming suffix of germanic origin (old english '-nes, -nis') denoting a state or quality.
Examples
the singer's performance was praised for its raw emotion and soulfulness.
there is a deep soulfulness in his eyes that speaks of years of experience.
the film captures the soulfulness of the blues music tradition.