The suffix -ness denotes:

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The suffix -ness creates a noun that names the quality or condition of the thing described. It shows that something possesses that quality. For example, kind → kindness expresses the quality of being kind; bright → brightness expresses the state or quality of being bright. So -ness signals the presence of a characteristic, not likeness (-ish) or a simple adjective meaning like, and it isn’t about shortness as a standalone meaning.