Plural form of goodness; multiple instances or types of moral excellence, virtue, or the quality of being good.
From 'goodness' (Old English 'gōdnes,' meaning 'the quality of being good') plus the plural suffix '-es.' 'Goodness' combines 'good' with the abstract noun suffix '-ness,' creating an abstract noun from an adjective.
The plural 'goodnesses' is philosophically interesting—it suggests that 'good' isn't one universal thing but multiple varieties of excellence. Medieval theologians would use it to discuss different types of divine virtue, treating goodness as if it could be counted and categorized, which is very logical thinking applied to morality.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.