Why “litheness” is a great word
The quality of being supple and gracefully flexible in body or movement. From Middle English *lithnesse*, *lythnesse*, from Old English *līþnes* ('softness, gentleness, mildness'), equivalent to *lithe* (from Old English *līthe*, 'gentle, mild, soft') + *-ness*. Unlike 'stiffness,' which implies a rigid, unyielding resistance to motion, or 'clumsiness,' which suggests an awkward, ungoverned lack of coordination, litheness is the very essence of controlled, unforced agility. It is the willow branch swaying without breaking in a storm, the deliberate, sinuous stretch of a cat upon waking, and the dancer’s torso spiraling without a hint of strain—a physical poetry that speaks of resilience through yielding, a quiet defiance of the world’s inherent resistance.
Etymology
From Middle English lithnesse, lythnesse, lythnes, from Old English līþnes (“softness; gentleness; mildness; lenity; kindness”), equivalent to lithe + -ness.