forgiveness

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English forgiveness, forgifnes, from Old English forġiefnes. By surface analysis, forgive +‎ -ness. Cognate with Dutch vergiffenis. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fəˈɡɪvnəs/ (General American) IPA(key): /fɚˈɡɪvnəs/ Hyphenation: for‧give‧ness === Noun === forgiveness (usually uncountable, plural forgivenesses) The action of forgiving. Synonym: remission He begged for forgiveness after being caught stealing from the shop. A readiness to forgive. Synonym: mercy ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === “forgiveness”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.