Expectedness

/ɪkˈspɛktɪdnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being expected; the degree to which something was anticipated or foreseen.

Etymology

From expected plus -ness, a productive English suffix for creating abstract nouns. This formation is logical but rare in actual usage, showing how English prefers 'expectation' for this concept.

Kelly Says

Neuroscientists study 'expectedness'—your brain reacts differently to surprising events than expected ones. A jump scare in a horror movie is shocking because of its lack of expectedness, even if you expect jump scares to exist!

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