The -th That Turns Adjectives Into Nouns
Warmth is the state of being warm. The -th ending is an old English way of making a noun from an adjective, and it stopped being productive long ago.
Warmth is the quality of being warm, in temperature or in feeling. The -th ending is a fossil: it once turned adjectives into nouns freely, giving *length*, *strength*, *depth*, *width*, *health* and *truth*, but it stopped being productive centuries ago. Nobody can coin a new word with it — try making a noun from *cold* and you get *coldness*, not *colth*.
- Moderate heat. *The warmth of the fire.*
- Friendliness. *She spoke with real warmth.*
- Warm — the adjective. *A warm evening.*
- Warmly — the adverb. *He greeted them warmly.*
- Global warming — the compound. *The effects of global warming.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | warmth | Sudden warmth. |
| Adjective | warm | Warm water. |
| Comparative | warmer | Warmer than yesterday. |
| Adverb | warmly | Dressed warmly. |
| Verb | warm | Warm the plates. |
- The warmth of the sun on stone.Temperature.
- There was no warmth in his voice.Feeling.
- Warmth, not heat: the difference is degree.Register.
The -th nouns
- Long, length — with a vowel change
- Strong, strength — the same pattern
- Broad, breadth; wide, width; deep, depth
- Warm, warmth; whole, health; true, truth
- No longer productive — new nouns take -ness instead
Old English *wearmth*, from *wearm*, warm, plus the abstract noun suffix -th. The suffix descends from Proto-Germanic and has Indo-European relatives.
Why is it warmth and not warmness?
Because the word was formed while -th was still productive. Newer adjectives take -ness instead.
Are health and whole related?
Yes. Health is whole plus -th. To be healthy is to be whole.