Origin: Germanic Old English suffix
Goodness has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
The state or characteristic of being good.
"The goodness of his character was evident in how he treated everyone without prejudice."
In plain English: Goodness is being kind and doing what is right.
"Her sudden burst of goodness touched everyone in the room."
Usage: Use goodness to describe moral virtue, kindness, or the quality of being excellent rather than simply saying something is nice. It often appears in phrases like "for goodness' sake" as an interjection expressing surprise or frustration.
The word goodness comes from the Middle English term goodnesse, which was formed by adding a suffix to the Old English word for "good." It has traveled into modern English with its original meaning of virtue or kindness intact.