Driftlessness

/ˈdrɪftləsnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being driftless; the absence of glacial drift, or more broadly, the quality of lacking aimlessness or direction.

Etymology

From 'driftless' plus the abstract noun suffix '-ness.' This compounds multiple morphemes: 'drift' + '-less' (lacking) + '-ness' (abstract quality).

Kelly Says

Creating an abstract noun from an already negative adjective ('driftless') by adding '-ness' makes 'driftlessness'—a four-morpheme word that's technically correct but rarely used, showing English's productive but sometimes awkward structure.

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