sourness
UK[ˈsaʊənəs]US[ˈsaʊərnəs]
n
the quality or state of having a sharp, acidic taste like that of lemon or vinegar.
n
the quality of being unfriendly, bad-tempered, or resentful.
Morpheme Breakdown
sour
ness
sour
acidic, sharp
ness
state or quality
Etymology
the word sourness is a transparent english formation built from the native germanic adjective sour. the root sour descends from proto-germanic sūraz, which is of uncertain deeper origin but has cognates across germanic languages describing a sharp, acidic taste. the suffix -ness is one of the most productive noun-forming elements in english, originating from proto-germanic -inassu, used to create abstract nouns indicating a state or condition. thus, sourness literally means the state or quality of being sour, a meaning that has extended metaphorically from describing taste to describing a disagreeable disposition.
Analysis
Structure: sour (acidic, sharp) + ness (state or quality)
sour (from old english sūr, meaning acidic, sharp; an adjective root). ness (from old english -nes, a noun-forming suffix denoting state or quality).
Examples
the sourness of the green apple made her lips pucker.
there was a noticeable sourness in his tone during the argument.
the recipe calls for a bit of sugar to balance the sourness of the yogurt.