smartness

S1M3A1R1T1N1E1S1S1

noun

The state or quality of being smart, intelligence.

Similar
smartsmartingbrightnessclevernesschicchicnesschichimodishness
OriginMiddle English smartnesse →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

nounsmartness (countable and uncountable, plural smartnesses)

plural smartnesses

  1. uncountableThe state or quality of being smart, intelligence.
  2. uncountableThe state or quality of being smart in appearance.

    The station buildings at Oxton and Lauder have been repainted, and a general air of smartness prevails, marred only by some broken signal spectacles.

    1947 March and April, “Notes and News: The Lauder Light Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 116
  3. countableThe result or product of being smart.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna kind of pain such as that caused by a wound or a burn or a sore

Similar
smartsmarting
Broader
painhurting

nounintelligence as manifested in being quick and witty

Similar
brightnesscleverness
Broader
intelligence

nounelegance by virtue of being fashionable

Similar
chicchicnesschichimodishnessstylishnessswanklast word
Broader
elegance

nounliveliness and eagerness

Similar
alacritybriskness
Broader
livelinesslifespirit
Also see
alacritybrightnessbrisknesschicchichichicnessclevernessintellectintelligencelast wordmodishnesssmartsmartingstylishnessswank

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishsmartnesse
  2. Englishsmartness

From Middle English smartnesse, smertnesse, equivalent to smart + -ness. Cognate with Middle Dutch smartenisse (“pain, injury, insult, scorn, agony”).

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch leepheid
  • leepheidthe state or quality of being smart
Finnish fiksuus
  • fiksuusthe state or quality of being smart
Greek εξυπνάδα
  • εξυπνάδα (exypnáda)the state or quality of being smart
Hungarian okosság
  • okosságthe state or quality of being smart
Irish innealtacht, tagracht
  • innealtachtthe state or quality of being smart
  • tagrachtthe state or quality of being smart
Latin nitor
  • nitorthe state or quality of being smart
Portuguese esperteza
  • espertezathe state or quality of being smart
Scottish Gaelic tapadh
  • tapadhthe state or quality of being smart
Spanish tienta, minerva
  • tientathe state or quality of being smart
  • minervathe state or quality of being smart

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

manstress
Cite this entry
APA

smartness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smartness

MLA

“smartness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smartness. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smartness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smartness.

Source: smartness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.