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definitions

-less

an adjective suffix meaning “without” (childless; peerless), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed (resistless; tireless).

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Nearby words

  1. -later,
  2. -latry,
  3. -le,
  4. -lent,
  5. -lepsy,
  6. -let,
  7. -like,
  8. -ling,
  9. -lings,
  10. -lipped

Origin of -less

Middle English -les, Old English -lēas, special use of lēas free from, without, false; cognate with Old Norse lauss, German los, loose
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for -less

-less

suffix forming adjectives

without; lackingspeechless
not able to (do something) or not able to be (done, performed, etc)countless

Word Origin for -less

Old English -lās, from lēas lacking
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for -less

-less

word-forming element meaning "lacking, cannot be, does not," from Old English -leas, from leas "free (from), devoid (of), false, feigned," from Proto-Germanic *lausaz (cf. Dutch -loos, German -los "-less," Old Norse lauss "loose, free, vacant, dissolute," Middle Dutch los, German los "loose, free," Gothic laus "empty, vain"). Related to loose and lease.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper