Origin: Germanic Old English suffix
Stiffness has 6 different meanings across 1 category:
the physical property of being inflexible and hard to bend
"The old wooden chair developed a noticeable stiffness in its backrest that made leaning against it uncomfortable."
the property of moving with pain or difficulty
"he awoke with a painful stiffness in his neck"
firm resoluteness in purpose or opinion or action
"a charming host without any touch of stiffness or pomposity"
the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed (as by embarrassment)
"Her awkward stiffness made it hard for her to sit comfortably during the interview."
excessive sternness
"severity of character"
"the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"
"the rigors of boot camp"
Rigidity or a measure of rigidity.
"The new bicycle frame offers incredible stiffness, making every pedal stroke feel direct and responsive."
The word stiffness comes from Middle English, formed by adding the suffix -ness to the root word stiff. It may also have merged with an older form derived from Old English that originally meant "stiffness."