Pronunciation: [stˈiːpnəs] (IPA) 
The word "steepness" is spelled with two Es and two Ns in the middle. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈstiːpnɪs/. The two Es in the middle are pronounced with a long "e" sound, which is represented by the symbol /iː/. The double Ns are pronounced with a nasal sound, represented by the symbol /n/. The final S at the end of the word is pronounced with a soft "s" sound, represented by the symbol /s/.
Steepness refers to the degree or intensity of inclination or gradient in a surface or object. It is a measurement of how rapidly or sharply a slope or angle increases or decreases. The term is commonly used to describe the steepness of hills, mountains, or any other elevated or inclined surfaces.
In a mathematical context, steepness is quantified by calculating the ratio between the vertical change and horizontal change along a slope. This ratio is often expressed as a percentage or an angle in degrees. A steep slope has a high ratio, indicating a significant increase in elevation over a short horizontal distance, resulting in a pronounced incline or descent.
The concept of steepness is also used in various fields, such as geography, geology, engineering, and sports, among others. In geography, it helps determine the difficulty level of a terrain to traverse or build upon. In geology, it aids in analyzing the stability and erosion potential of landforms. In engineering, it guides the design and construction of structures on hillsides. Additionally, in sports that involve downhill activities like skiing or biking, steepness plays a crucial role as it influences the speed, control, and safety of participants.
Overall, steepness signifies the extent to which a surface or object deviates from being horizontal or vertical, providing a crucial measurement for assessing the inclination or gradient of various terrains or structures.
The state of being steep or precipitous.
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 "steepness" is derived from the adjective "steep", which originated from the Old English word "steap", meaning high or lofty. The term "steap" can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "*staupaz", which had a similar meaning. Ultimately, the word likely derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*steup-", meaning to push or knock. Over time, "steep" came to be associated specifically with the inclination or angle of something, which led to the formation of the noun "steepness" to denote the quality or state of being steep.
