Blankness
/ˈblæŋk.nəs/noun
The state of being blank, empty, or without expression.
Did you know?Blank comes from Old French *blanc*, ultimately from a Germanic root meaning “white” or “shining,” so the word’s deepest past is tied to brightness—not emptiness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“to shine, gleam, be white”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*blankaz
“shining, white, bright”
Old French
OF
blanc
“white, pale, blank”
Middle English
ME
blank
“empty, unfilled, pale”
Modern English
English
blankness
“the state of being blank or empty”