What does becomingness mean?
Becomingness is a rare and formal English noun denoting the quality of being becoming — that is, of looking attractive, flattering, or fittingly appropriate. It derives from the adjective "becoming," which since the sixteenth century has described clothing, colors, or behaviour that suit a person well, and which in turn comes from the verb "become." Where the adjective describes a particular dress or demeanor directly, becomingness names that pleasing aptitude as an abstract quality, allowing writers to speak of it generally — as in praising the becomingness of a garment's cut or the becomingness of someone's modest bearing. The word carries a graceful, mildly literary connotation and is now encountered chiefly in older or deliberately elevated prose; everyday speakers are far more likely to say that something is becoming than to refer to its becomingness. Its natural opposite is unbecomingness, the quality of being ill-suited or inappropriate.
nounThe quality or state of being becoming; suitability, especially in the sense of being attractive, appropriate, or flattering to the person concerned.
- The quality of being becoming — attractive, appropriate, or flattering in appearance or manner.
"The quiet elegance of her attire was noted less for its cost than for its sheer becomingness."
"Critics praised the gown not merely for its craftsmanship but for its becomingness on so many different figures."
"In his essays on manners, he argued that true dignity lies in the becomingness of one's conduct rather than its grandeur."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of becomingness
Becomingness is formed by adding the noun-forming suffix -ness to the adjective "becoming," which developed from the Middle English verb "becomen" (Old English becuman, "to come to, arrive, befit"). The adjective "becoming," meaning attractive or suitable, is attested from the sixteenth century, and the derived noun became available shortly thereafter as part of the productive -ness pattern by which English turns almost any adjective into an abstraction.
Related word forms
How becomingness is actually used
A rare, formal, somewhat old-fashioned abstract noun. In modern usage it appears mostly in literary or antiquarian writing; most contemporary writers would simply use "becoming" adjectivally rather than reach for this nominal form.
Easily confused with becomingness
"Becoming" functions as an adjective meaning flattering or suitable, while "becomingness" is the abstract noun denoting that quality.