noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈɹɛdinəs/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛdinəs
CMU ARPABET:R EH1 D IY0 N AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The state or degree of being ready; preparedness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
readiness for civil emergencies
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Willingness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
his readiness to help
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
prompt willingness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
readiness to continue discussions
they showed no eagerness to spread the gospel
they disliked his zeal in demonstrating his superiority
he tried to explain his forwardness in battle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: eagerness, zeal, forwardness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: willingness
4
noun
Meaning 4
a natural effortlessness--Jane Austen
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they conversed with great facility
a happy readiness of conversation
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: facility
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: effortlessness
5
noun
Meaning 5
(psychology) being temporarily ready to respond in a particular way
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the subjects' set led them to solve problems the familiar way and to overlook the simpler solution
his instructions deliberately gave them the wrong set
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: set
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cognitive state, state of mind
6
noun
Meaning 6
the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
putting them in readiness
their preparation was more than adequate
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: preparedness, preparation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: state
Narrower terms: ready, alert, qui vive
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English ready Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną 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 readiness From ready + -ness.
Across languages
Translations
40 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
պատրաստակամություն
(patrastakamutʻyun)
— state or degree of being ready
Armenian:
պատրաստություն
(patrastutʻyun)
— state or degree of being ready
Belarusian:
гато́ўнасць
(hatównascʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
Belarusian:
гато́ўнасьць
(hatównasʹcʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
Belarusian:
гато́васць
(hatóvascʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
Belarusian:
гато́васьць
(hatóvasʹcʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
Bulgarian:
гото́вност
(gotóvnost)
— state or degree of being ready
Czech:
připravenost
— state or degree of being ready
Esperanto:
preteco
— state or degree of being ready
Estonian:
valmidus
— state or degree of being ready
Finnish:
valmius
— state or degree of being ready
French:
préparation
— state or degree of being ready
German:
Bereitschaft
— state or degree of being ready
Gothic:
𐌼𐌿𐌽𐍃
(muns)
— state or degree of being ready
Gothic:
𐌼𐌰𐌽𐍅𐌹𐌸𐌰
(manwiþa)
— state or degree of being ready
Greek:
ετοιμότητα
(etoimótita)
— state or degree of being ready
Ancient Greek:
ἑτοιμότης
(hetoimótēs)
— state or degree of being ready
Hebrew:
מוּכָנוּת
(mukhanút)
— state or degree of being ready
Hindi:
तत्परता
(tatpartā)
— state or degree of being ready
Hungarian:
készenlét
— state or degree of being ready
Hungarian:
készültség
— state or degree of being ready
Irish:
innealtacht
— state or degree of being ready
Irish:
éascaíocht
— state or degree of being ready
Irish:
oirchill
— state or degree of being ready
Latin:
promptus
— state or degree of being ready
Manx:
appeeys
— state or degree of being ready
Manx:
arryltid
— state or degree of being ready
Manx:
arryltys
— state or degree of being ready
Manx:
appeeid
— state or degree of being ready
Norwegian Bokmål:
beredskap
— state or degree of being ready
Norwegian Nynorsk:
beredskap
— state or degree of being ready
Polish:
gotowość
— state or degree of being ready
Portuguese:
prontidão
— state or degree of being ready
Russian:
гото́вность
(gotóvnostʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
Slovak:
pripravenosť
— state or degree of being ready
Spanish:
preparación
— state or degree of being ready
Swedish:
beredskap
— state or degree of being ready
Ottoman Turkish:
حاضرلق
(hazırlık)
— state or degree of being ready
Ukrainian:
гото́вність
(hotóvnistʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
Ukrainian:
гото́вість
(hotóvistʹ)
— state or degree of being ready
