serenity
(sɪˈrɛnɪtɪ)
Also 6 -yte, 6–7 -itie.
[a. F. sérénité, ad. L. serēnitās, f. serēn-us: see serene a. and -ity.]
1. Clear, fair and calm weather; clearness and stillness of air and sky.
| 1538 Starkey England 64 The sone communyth hys perfectyon at al tymys to thes inferyor thyngys..as wel in cloudys as in serenyte. 1594 Ashley tr. Loys Le Roy 42 In Syria, and Egipt, where by the serenitie of the summer season, almost all the starres are cleerely seen. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. v. 19 There is never no Rain, Dew, Hail, Snow, or Wind, but still a clear serenity. 1748 Anson's Voy. i. viii. 108 The serenity of the sky was suddenly changed. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 15 One of those sudden storms that will sometimes break in upon the serenity of a summer voyage. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. v. 40 No breath disturbed the perfect serenity of the night. |
2. Tranquillity, peacefulness (of conditions, etc.). Sometimes with express reference to sense 1.
| a 1635 Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 32 Untill the tenth of her reign her times were calm and serene, though sometimes a little over-cast... For the clouds of Spain, and vapours of the Holy League, began then to disperse and threaten her serenity. 1657 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §173 There being now so great a serenity in all his dominions. 1820 Scott Monast. xxx, ‘The serenity of Heaven’, she said, ‘is above me; the sounds which are around are but those of earth and earthly passion.’ 1867 H. Macmillan Bible Teach. iv. (1870) 65 The weary, careworn spirit bathes in the serenity of the silence. |
b. transf. Appearance of reposefulness.
| 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps iii. §17. 83 The desirableness of serenity in plane surfaces. |
3. Cheerful tranquillity (of mind, temper, countenance, etc.).
| 1599 Life Sir T. More in Wordsw. Eccl. Biog. (1853) II. 77 His serenitie of mind was alwayes alike. a 1631 Donne Serm. lvi. (1640) 566 This..is that Serenitas Conscientiæ,..that calme and serenity, that acquiescence, and security of the Conscience. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §9 By degrees he lost that temper and serenity of mind he had been before master of. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. i. iii. §9, I cannot see how any Men, should ever transgress those Moral Rules, with Confidence, and Serenity, were they innate, and stamped upon their Minds. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho iii, When he returned, his countenance had recovered its usual serenity. 1855 Brewster Newton I. xii. 310 Though ruffled for a moment, Newton's excellent temper soon recovered its serenity. 1899 Doyle Duet (1909) 123/1 She faced the future with a sweet serenity. |
4. A title of honour given to reigning princes and other dignitaries. (So L. Serenitas, applied to the Roman emperor, the Pope, bishops, etc., F. Sérénité.)
| c 1450 Holland Howlat 379 Next the souerane signe was sekirly sene, That seruit his serenite euer seruable. 1596 Dalrymple Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 296 Quhilk gif ȝour Serenitie plesandlie accepte. 1613 B. Carier in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 142 Do such good offices with her Serenity as the Catholics may continue that good hope of her. 1693 Lond. Gaz. No. 2878/2 His Serenity [the Doge of Venice] continues still at the Lido. 1707 J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 452 They could..acquaint his Serenity [the Duke of Genoa]. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lxiii, The army was exhausted in providing guards of honour for the Highnesses, Serenities, and Excellencies who arrived from all quarters. 1865 Daily Tel. 7 Nov. 6/4 The discreet policy adopted by their Serenities the Doges of Venice. 1880 Disraeli Endym. I. v. 50 A German Serenity was her delight. |