Handiness

/ˈhændinəs/ noun

Definition

The quality of being convenient, useful, or easy to use; or the skill in using your hands.

Etymology

From 'handy' plus the noun suffix '-ness' (Old English '-nes'), which creates abstract nouns describing a state or quality of being.

Kelly Says

We added '-ness' to 'handy' because English speakers wanted to talk about convenience as an abstract idea, not just a thing—this shows how our language lets us transform concrete skills (using hands) into abstract concepts (convenience).

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.