n. & int.
n. 1 virtue; excellence, esp. moral. 2 kindness, generosity (had the goodness to wait). 3 what is good or beneficial in a thing (vegetables with all the goodness boiled out).
int. (as a substitution for 'God') expressing surprise, anger, etc. (goodness me!; goodness knows; for goodness' sake!).
[ OE godnes (as GOOD, -NESS) ]