hardness

[ hahrd-nis ]
/ ˈhɑrd nɪs /

noun

Origin of hardness

before 900; Middle English hardnes, Old English heardnes. See hard, -ness

Example sentences from the Web for hardness

British Dictionary definitions for hardness

hardness
/ (ˈhɑːdnɪs) /

noun

the quality or condition of being hard
one of several measures of resistance to indentation, deformation, or abrasion See Mohs scale, Brinell hardness number
the quality of water that causes it to impair the lathering of soap: caused by the presence of certain calcium salts. Temporary hardness can be removed by boiling whereas permanent hardness cannot

Scientific definitions for hardness

hardness
[ härdnĭs ]

A measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched. Hardness is measured on the Mohs scale.