What does almightiness mean?
Almightiness is a formal English noun denoting the quality of being almighty — that is, possessing unlimited power and authority. It is used most often in religious language to describe an attribute of God, alongside related divine attributes such as omniscience and omnipresence, though it can occasionally appear in figurative writing about overwhelming secular power. The word is built transparently from the adjective "almighty," which combines the Old English intensifier "all" with "mighty," itself rooted in the Germanic word for strength or power. Because it is rare and elevated in register, almightiness tends to surface in hymns, sermons, theological discussion, and deliberately archaic or literary prose rather than everyday speech. Writers seeking this meaning usually reach instead for "omnipotence," the more common Latinate synonym, but almightiness retains a distinctive Germanic gravity and is useful when a text wants to echo the cadence of traditional English religious language.
nounThe quality or state of being almighty; unlimited or supreme power and authority, especially as an attribute of God.
- Unlimited power and authority, especially as an attribute of God.
- Supreme or overwhelming power in a more general or figurative sense.
"The hymn celebrated the almightiness of the Creator in verses both humble and exultant."
"The sermon dwelt on the almightiness of God as a source of comfort in suffering."
"In the novel, the tyrant's almightiness over his subjects proves hollow in the end."
Almost never pluralized; the word is treated as a single abstract quality, so usage in the singular is standard.
"Such a plural would be contrived; the noun is effectively used only in the singular."
English already had "omnipotence" from Latin, but writers reaching for a Germanic-flavored way to name God's boundless power coined "almightiness" — stacking the Old English intensifier "all" onto "mighty."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of almightiness
Almightiness is formed from the adjective "almighty" plus the noun-forming suffix "-ness." "Almighty" descends from Old English "ealmihtig" (also written "eal-mihtig"), combining "eall" ("all") with "mihtig" ("mighty"), from the Germanic root behind "might" and "mightiness." The word thus belongs to the Germanic strand of English vocabulary, standing apart from the Latin-derived synonym "omnipotence." The abstract noun "almightiness" arose later in English, chiefly in religious writing, as a way of naming the divine attribute expressed by the older adjective.
Related word forms
How almightiness is actually used
A relatively rare, formal, and literary word, used chiefly in religious contexts to denote divine omnipotence. It carries a solemn, elevated register and appears far less often than its adjective counterpart "almighty" or the Latinate synonym "omnipotence."
Easily confused with almightiness
"Almighty" is the adjective describing one who has unlimited power, while "almightiness" is the noun denoting that quality of unlimited power itself.