The quality of being very rough, severe, or unkind; unpleasant in a way that hurts feelings or is physically uncomfortable.
From Old Norse 'harsh' + English suffix '-ness.' The root meaning 'rough or coarse' has been used since the 1300s.
Winter harshness is why humans developed such large brains—our ancestors who survived brutal cold needed intelligence to plan, make tools, and cooperate, so harsh climates literally shaped human evolution.
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