Infinitesimalnesses, with a prefix and a suffix, is a complex word in terms of pronunciation and spelling. According to International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the word’s pronunciation is /ɪnˌfɪnəˈtɛsəm(ə)lnəsɪz/. The "i" in the prefix is pronounced as short "i". The next syllable has the stress, followed by a long "e" sound. The suffix "-ness" is pronounced with a short "e". The final "-es" of the word has a soft "z" sound, making the pronunciation a bit tricky.
The word "infinitesimalnesses" is formed by combining the root word "infinitesimal" with the suffix "-ness" twice, resulting in the plural form. Here is the breakdown of the etymology:
1. Infinitesimal: The word "infinitesimal" is derived from the Latin word "infinitesimus", which means "infinite", combined with the suffix "-al" (meaning "relating to"). Thus, "infinitesimal" pertains to something extremely small or immeasurable. It first appeared in English in the mid-17th century to describe quantities approaching zero.
2. -ness: The suffix "-ness" is derived from Old English and is usually added to adjectives to form abstract nouns expressing a state or quality. For example, "happiness" is derived from "happy" and denotes the state of being happy.