The word "homelessness" is spelled with a silent "e" and a double "s" after the "m" because it follows the rule of doubling consonants after a short vowel sound in English. The word is pronounced as /ˈhoʊm.ləs.nəs/ [HOHM-luhs-nuhs] in IPA phonetic transcription. This word refers to the state of not having a place to live or the condition of being without a permanent home. Homelessness is a critical issue facing many communities around the world.
Homelessness refers to the state or condition of lacking a fixed, permanent, and suitable place to live. It is a term used to describe individuals, families, or groups of people who do not have access to stable and secure housing accommodations. Homelessness can manifest in various ways, ranging from living on the streets, in emergency shelters, or transitional housing, to inhabiting inadequate or temporary dwellings like cars or abandoned buildings.
Homelessness is often the result of a combination of factors, including poverty, unemployment, mental illness, substance abuse, family breakdown, or systemic issues within society. Those who experience homelessness often face significant challenges and vulnerabilities, enduring hardships such as limited access to healthcare and social services, exposure to violence, discrimination, and social exclusion.
The issue of homelessness is a concern for individuals, communities, and governments worldwide. Efforts to combat homelessness involve various strategies, including providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, subsidized housing programs, and supportive services to address the underlying causes of homelessness. Additionally, prevention programs and initiatives that promote education, job training, mental health support, and substance abuse treatment aim to help individuals and families avoid homelessness in the first place.
Efforts to address homelessness recognize the need for collaboration among various sectors, including government agencies, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and individuals, to tackle its root causes and ensure that everyone has access to safe and stable housing.
State of being without a home.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "homelessness" is derived from the combination of two root words: "home" and "less".
"Home" comes from the Old English word "ham" or "hām", which referred to one's dwelling place, abode, or native land. It has its roots in the Proto-Germanic word "haimaz".
The suffix "-less" is also of Old English origin, derived from the word "-lēas", which means "lacking" or "devoid of". It stems from the Proto-Germanic word "-lais" or "-lēsa".
When these two elements are combined, "homelessness" is formed, referring to the state or condition of being without a home, house, or permanent residence.