Naughtiness
/ˈnɔː.ti.nəs/noun
The quality of being badly behaved or mischievous.
Did you know?Naughtiness comes from Old English *nāwiht* / *nōwiht*, meaning “nothing” or “not a thing,” so the word’s moral edge grew out of an older idea of emptiness and worthlessness rather than pure mischief.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
nāwiht / nōwiht
“nothing; not a thing”
Middle English
ME
naught / nought
“nothing; zero; of no value”
Middle English
ME
naughty
“worthless; bad; morally poor”
15th Century
English
naughtiness
“badness; wickedness; later, mischievous behavior”
Modern English
English
naughtiness
“mischievous or improper behavior”