fairness

Wikiquote

From Middle English fairness, fæȝernesse, from Old English fæġernes (“fairness; beauty; pleasantness”), equivalent to fair +‎ -ness. Cognate with Old High German fagarnessi (“fairness”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛə.nəs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛɚ.nəs/

  • Audio (US):

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• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈfeː.nəs/
• (New Zealand, without the cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /ˈfeə.nəs/
• (New Zealand, cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /ˈfiə.nəs/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈfeɹ.nəs/
• (Lancashire, fair–fur merger) IPA^(key): /ˈfɜː(ɹ).nəs/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)nəs

fairness (countable and uncountable, plural fairnesses)

1. The property of being fair or equitable.

   Some questioned the fairness of the new laws.

   • 2024 January 28, Charles Hugh Smith, Our Tax System Is an Unfair Mess: Here's How to Fix It‎^[1]:

     The reason why fairness in taxation matters is institutionalized unfairness rots society from the inside, and the social order and economy eventually collapse.

2. (archaic or literary) The property of being fair or beautiful.

   Synonyms: fairhood, beauty

• Serafins, sanserif