Meaning

noun the state of being several and distinct

noun political independence

noun the quality of being not alike; being distinct or different from that otherwise experienced or known

originEtymology tree English separate Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English separateness From separate + -ness.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0