Aridness
/ˈær.ɪd.nəs/noun
The state of being very dry; lacking moisture or rainfall.
Did you know?Aridness comes from the same ancient root as Latin aridus, and that root is tied to the idea of drying up completely—language preserving the feeling of land turned lifeless.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ers-
“to dry up, to become parched”
Latin
Latin
aridus
“dry, parched, withered”
Old French
Old French
aride
“dry, arid”
Middle English
English
arid
“dry, parched”
Modern English
English
aridness
“the quality or state of being arid”
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