The state or condition of doubting; doubt or uncertainty.
Formed from 'doubt' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ance' (from Latin 'antia,' used to create abstract nouns). This archaic formation follows patterns seen in words like 'importance' and 'resistance,' though it's rarely used in modern English.
Medieval and Renaissance texts used 'doubtance' as their technical term for philosophical uncertainty, before the French Revolution made simple 'doubt' and 'doubt' preferred. It's a word that sounds more serious and formal than its modern equivalents, giving gravitas to uncertainty.
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