noun
goodness
GUUD-nuhs
noun
1
The quality or state of being good, morally or otherwise.
"His goodness showed in how patiently he treated everyone."
2
The nutritious or beneficial part of something.
"The soup is packed with the goodness of fresh vegetables."
intj
1
Used as a mild exclamation of surprise (as in "goodness me" or "my goodness").
"Goodness, is it that late already?"
How to Use Goodness
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBeing good, or the wholesome part of something — also a polite stand-in for stronger exclamations.
Common pairings
my goodness
goodness knows
out of the goodness of one's heart
Word Forms
goodnesses plural
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His _____ showed in how patiently he treated everyone.
Etymology
From Old English gōdnes, built from "good" plus the noun-forming suffix "-ness."