vastness
UK: ˈvɑːstnəs | US: ˈvæstnəs
n. the quality or state of being vast; immense size or extent
The word "vastness" combines "vast," derived from the Latin vastus (meaning "empty, desolate, immense"), with the English suffix "-ness," which forms abstract nouns indicating a state or condition. The Latin root vastus originally conveyed a sense of emptiness or desolation but evolved to emphasize sheer scale in English. The suffix "-ness" (from Old English -nes) has been a productive way to create nouns describing abstract qualities since the Germanic period. Together, they logically form "vastness," capturing the concept of boundless or overwhelming size.
The vastness of the desert stretched endlessly under the blazing sun.
Astronomers are awed by the vastness of the universe.
She felt small when confronted with the vastness of the ocean.
The film captures the vastness of the Arctic wilderness.
His speech emphasized the vastness of the challenges ahead.