strangeness
UK: ˈstreɪndʒnəs | US: ˈstreɪndʒnəs
n. the quality or state of being strange, unusual, or unfamiliar
n. (physics) a property of certain subatomic particles, measured in quantum numbers
The word "strangeness" combines "strange," derived from Old French "estrange" (meaning "foreign" or "unfamiliar"), with the suffix "-ness," which forms abstract nouns denoting a state or condition. Originally, "strange" referred to something foreign or external, but over time, it evolved to mean "unusual" or "peculiar." In mid-20th-century physics, "strangeness" was coined to describe a quantum property of particles that behaved unexpectedly, extending the metaphorical sense of "unfamiliarity" to subatomic phenomena.
The strangeness of the old house made the children hesitant to enter.
Scientists measure the strangeness of quarks to understand particle interactions.
She couldn’t shake off the strangeness of waking up in an unfamiliar place.
The film’s surreal imagery added to its overall strangeness.
His sudden kindness had a strangeness that made her suspicious.