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naughtiness

Other forms: naughtinesses

Naughtiness is a quality of being just a little bit bad. Harmless mischief like sneaking an extra cookie is an example of naughtiness.

You might get scolded for naughtiness, but you won't get in serious trouble. In fact, this noun is most often used to describe the mild misbehavior of children or pets: "I shouldn't have been surprised when the puppy shredded the Sunday newspaper, since puppies are known for their naughtiness." This word, along with naughty, comes from an Old English word meaning "good for nothing."

Definitions of naughtiness
  1. noun
    an attribute of mischievous children
    see moresee less
    types:
    prankishness, rascality, roguishness
    the trait of indulging in disreputable pranks
    type of:
    disobedience
    the trait of being unwilling to obey
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