The quality or state of being cool in temperature, or the quality of being calm and composed under pressure. Can also refer to fashionable detachment or social sophistication.
From Old English col meaning 'not warm' + -ness. The metaphorical senses developed from the physical sensation—emotional 'coolness' suggesting lack of passion, and social 'coolness' implying sophisticated self-control.
The evolution from temperature to social status shows how physical sensations become markers of character—being 'cool' suggests the self-control to remain unheated by passion or excitement. Jazz culture particularly embraced this metaphor, making 'cool' synonymous with artistic sophistication and emotional restraint.
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