obtusenessn.
/əbˈtjuːsnəs/, /ɒbˈtjuːsnəs/, /əbˈtʃuːsnəs/, /ɒbˈtʃuːsnəs/, U.S. /əbˈt(j)usnəs/, /ɑbˈt(j)usnəs/ Slowness of understanding, stupidity; insensitivity. Also (more generally): the quality of being obtuse.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [noun]
hardnessOE
stuntnessc1000
sotshipc1050
witlessnessa1100
sotheada1200
dullness1398
bluntness1483
slowness1495
grossnessa1530
stupidity?1541
assishness?1548
dastardness1552
lourderie1555
dastardliness1556
blockishness1561
doltishness1569
sottage1569
sheepishness1574
doltry1581
sottishness1589
doltage1593
dorbellism1593
grout-headry1600
opacity1611
duncery1615
dunstery1615
stupidness1619
hebetude1621
insulsity1623
unintelligence1634
obtuseness1648
jobbernowlism1652
dullery1653
non-intelligence1653
blockheadishness1656
crassness1664
blockheadedness1716
stolidness1727
blockheadism1753
numbskullity1779
nincompoophood1791
duncishness1805
numbskullism1806
foziness1821
noodledum1821
obtusity1823
soft-headedness1823
noodledom1827
duncehood1829
dunderheadedness1830
sumphishness1830
asininity1831
dunderheadism1836
stockishness1837
dullardness1840
fat-headedness1840
stupor1845
duncedom1847
misintelligence1848
nincompoopery1850
wooden-headedness1850
dumminess1852
jolterheadedness1852
ninnyship1852
donkeyism1855
dumbness1860
beef-wittedness1863
crassitude1865
donkeyhood1869
slow-wittedness1869
chuckle-headedness1880
leatherheadedness1880
pinheadedness1884
numbskulledness1885
donkeydom1889
thickheadedness1889
density1894
moronism1922
nitwittedness1931
nitwittery1931
noodleness1931
dopiness1942
squirrel-headedness1955
nincompoopism1957
dim-wittedness1960
clottishness1961
the mind > emotion > absence of emotion > [noun] > want of or incapacity for emotion
dryheada1300
lethargyc1380
drynessc1450
dumping1542
unsensibility1551
insensibleness?1555
unsensibleness?1555
stupidity1568
stolidity1570
stupor1570
dumpishness1574
senselessness1577
innaturality1579
astoniedness1580
impassibility1603
stupefaction1603
torpor1607
deadness1611
unsufferance1611
hebetude1621
nonsense1621
drought1622
hebetation1623
obstupefaction1625
unanswerableness1626
tastelessnessa1631
insensateness1646
impassiveness1648
obtuseness1648
barrenness1655
torpulency1657
sterility1661
spiritlessness1669
unspiritedness1669
unaffectedness1678
insensibility1691
stolidness1727
apathy1742
impenetrableness1747
unfeelingness1766
impassivity1794
unfeeling1805
soullessness1811
incommobility1822
obtusity1823
unimpressibleness1830
hardhead1836
stockishness1837
insensitiveness1838
impenetrability1847
unreceptivity1849
unsusceptibility1850
woodenness1854
unimpressionability1862
irresponsiveness1864
unresponsiveness1869
impassibleness1874
irreceptivity1881
unimpressibility1889
apatheia1893
inemotivity1894
affectlessness1921
insensitivity1957
1648 W. Jenkyn Ὁδηγος Τυϕλος iv. 104 The obtusenesse of the distinction.
1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy II. xii. 78 Nor did this arise from any insensibility or obtuseness of his intellectual parts.
1827 Examiner 70/2 If Germans require that species of assistance, the obtuseness of a mere English Philistine we trust is pardonable.
1842 W. G. Simms Beauchampe II. vii. 61 The most fatal symptom is an obtuseness,—a sort of numbness—a deficiency of sensibility.
1886 T. Hardy Mayor of Casterbridge II. ix. 110 Every projection in each [bridge] was worn down to obtuseness, partly by weather, more by friction from..loungers.
1906 E. W. Hilgard Soils xxiv. 502 The lobation of the post oak also varies considerably both in the numbers of lobes and in their obtuseness.
1951 Kenyon Rev. 14 258 What the net is doing here seems now to me plain, after some ten years of obtuseness about it.
1990 A. Stevens On Jung iii. 45 He will deny the validity of your suggestion and put it down to your obtuseness.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1648