Gibbousness

/ˈɡɪbəsnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being gibbous; the condition of having a hump or bulge.

Etymology

From gibbous + -ness (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives). This provides an alternative form to 'gibbosity,' both meaning the same thing but with different etymological paths (-ness being Germanic and -osity being Latinate).

Kelly Says

English has two ways to say the same thing: 'gibbousness' (from Germanic roots) and 'gibbosity' (from Latin)—this happens constantly in English, giving us fancy and plain words for identical concepts!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.