What is the difference between 'mastery' and 'masterfulness’?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Dear to whom may it concern,
Would you please tell me the distinction between [color=red]‘mastery’ and [color=red]‘masterfulness’?
With regard
Mitra

2

‘Mastery’ is normally used of becoming expert in a skill. ‘Masterfulness’ is more often a personality character akin to self-confidence and authority.

3

Mastery:
Complete knowledge or skill.
She played with some mastery.
The process of mastering a subject .
a child’s mastery of language
Control over someone/something.
man’s mastery over nature

Masterfulness: Doesn’t really exist as a word. Wiktionary indicates that it is ‘The tendency of a person to behave in a masterful manner’ but I wouldn’t use it - it is not grammatically correct.

4

You need more DICTIONARIES, BN. OneLook always helps me out.

5

Did you notice that most of those dictionaries default back to ‘masterful’?

6

Of course they do– that’s how many dictionaries work: they list them under the form that is nearer the root.

Under masterful (in various online dictionaries):

  1. mas·ter·ful·ness noun

  2. masterful +‎ -ness Noun

  3. masterfulness (uncountable) The quality of being masterful.

4.Related forms
mas·ter·ful·ly, adverb
mas·ter·ful·ness, noun
o·ver·mas·ter·ful, adjective
o·ver·mas·ter·ful·ly, adverb
o·ver·mas·ter·ful·ness, noun
un·mas·ter·ful, adjective
un·mas·ter·ful·ly, adverb

  1. master·ful·ly adv. master·ful·ness n.

And so forth. Seems like a real word to me.

7

Ah well, in that case I will accept it as a word, but I don’t see the point of it and I would never use it. It sounds clumsy and unnecessary to me, though I’m happy to agree to differ on that point.

8

I love your masterfulness, BN!

9
I find that you are very masterful too, MM.