Meanings
nounsternity (uncountable)
- rareuncountableThe quality of being stern.
His attitude is that of compassion combind^([sic]) with sternity.
1962, R. L. Tewari, A Critical Study of Loyalties (Galsworthy), Mussoorie: Saraswati Sadan, page 313 more examples
Jemmy eyed him but his sternity rotted to foolishness in his stare.
1938, Patrick Kavanagh, The Green Fool, page 98It is, for lack of a better tag, a public school with a lot of “sternity.”
1978 June 18, Victor Lipman, “A new alternative: basic education”, in New England (Boston Sunday Globe), page 36wondering what’s wrong / with all these people / how can they live with their sternity
2016, Martin Janello, “Defense and Pretense”, in Shine Knowing Shame: Philosophical Quotes & Poems, Palioxis Publishing, →ISBNSynonyms: sternness
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe quality of being stern.
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Cite this entry
APA
sternity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternity
MLA
“sternity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternity. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sternity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sternity.
Source: sternity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.