The Rice University Neologisms Database

Etymology : Back formation of the adjective "badass" (which of course is in itself a compound word that has taken on a very unique definition and a positive connotation) to a noun. Because the general noun happened through zero derivation and is simply "a badass", this noun suffix gives it a different, larger-scale definition. Probably inspired by the use of this suffix in other words, such as "tomfoolery", "camaraderie" (is this evidence of the borrowing of the suffix from French?), "snobbery".