The quality or state of being drossy; containing or resembling dross, which is the waste or impure matter that forms on the surface of molten metal.
From drossy (adjective) + -ness (suffix forming abstract nouns). Drossy comes from dross, an Old English word related to dregs and impurities, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *drus-.
Drossiness was a real problem for ancient metalworkers—before they could use precious metals, they had to skim off the dross, which was basically nature's way of reminding them that purity takes work.
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