fairness

What it means

1. countableuncountableThe property of being fair or equitable.

   Some questioned the fairness of the new laws.

   1 more example

   The reason why fairness in taxation matters is institutionalized unfairness rots society from the inside, and the social order and economy eventually collapse.

   2024 January 28, Charles Hugh Smith, Our Tax System Is an Unfair Mess: Here's How to Fix It

   Synonyms: equity

2. archaiccountableliteraryuncountableThe property of being fair or beautiful.

   Synonyms: fairhood, beauty

In a sentence

Some questioned the fairness of the new laws.

Where it comes from

1. Old Englishfæġernes“fairness; beauty; pleasantness”
2. Middle Englishfairness
3. Englishfairness

From Middle English fairness, fæȝernesse, from Old English fæġernes (“fairness; beauty; pleasantness”), equivalent to fair + -ness. Cognate with Old High German fagarnessi (“fairness”).