The quality or state of being good, kind, or virtuous; goodness or kindness shown toward others.
From Old French 'bonité', derived from Latin 'bonitas' (goodness), which comes from 'bonus' (good). The word evolved through medieval French to describe moral and ethical virtue.
This word is almost extinct in modern English, but it gives us a window into how people used to talk about morality—as a measurable quality you could possess, like bonity versus malice. It's a cousin to 'bonbon' and 'bon mot,' all sharing that Latin 'bonus' root that shows how the French loved describing things as 'good.'
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