The quality or state of being bashful; shyness, modesty, or the feeling of embarrassment and self-consciousness.
From 'bashful' (shy, embarrassed) + '-ness' (state/quality). First appears in English writing in the 1500s to describe a personality trait.
Bashfulness was once considered a virtue—Victorian parents celebrated daughters who were 'bashful' as it supposedly showed proper modesty—but modern psychology now recognizes it can be a sign of social anxiety.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.