groundlessness
|ground-less-ness|
/ˈɡraʊndləsnəs/
lack of basis / lack of foundation
Etymology
'groundlessness' originates from English, specifically from the word 'ground' (from Old English 'grund'), where 'grund' meant 'bottom' or 'foundation', combined with the suffix '-less' (Old English 'lēas') meaning 'without' and the noun-forming suffix '-ness'.
'ground' changed from Old English 'grund'; the adjective 'groundless' was formed by adding '-less' to 'ground', and the abstract noun 'groundlessness' was later formed by adding '-ness' to 'groundless', producing the modern English word 'groundlessness'.
Initially, 'grund' referred to a physical 'bottom' or 'foundation'; over time 'ground' acquired the abstract sense of 'reason' or 'basis', and 'groundlessness' evolved to mean 'lack of basis' or 'lack of justification', and metaphorically a feeling of being ungrounded or unstable.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of having no foundation, basis, or justification; lack of grounds.
The critic accused the article of groundlessness, noting its lack of evidence.
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Noun 2
a psychological or experiential sense of being ungrounded or unstable; absence of emotional or existential stability.
After the sudden changes in her life, she experienced a deep sense of groundlessness.
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Last updated: 2025/12/24 13:22