earnestness

Variant of earnest

earnest definition

ear·nest (ʉr′nist)

adjective

  1. serious and intense; not joking or playful; zealous and sincere
  2. not petty or trivial; important

Etymology: ME ernest < OE eornoste < eornost, earnestness, zeal, akin to Ger ernst, seriousness (OHG ernust) < IE base *er-, to set oneself in motion, arouse > run

Related Forms:

earnest Idioms

in earnest

  1. serious; not joking
  2. in a serious or determined manner

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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