Etymology

-less

Today it means: Lacking (something); without (something). Added usually to a noun to form an adjective signifying a lack of that noun. Full definition →

Proto-Germanic *lausaz ← Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
  3. Proto-Germanic*leusaną
  4. Proto-Germanic*lausaz
  5. English today-less

From Middle English -les, -leas, from Old English -lēas (“-less”) (compare lēas (“devoid of, loose from, false”)), from Proto-West Germanic *-laus, from Proto-Germanic *-lausaz, from *lausaz (“loose”). (Not related to less, which derives from *laisiz, *laisizô.) Cognate with Scots -less, West Frisian -leas, Saterland Frisian -loos, Dutch -loos, Low German -los, German -los, Danish -løs, Swedish -lös, Icelandic -laus. More at loose.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.