Etymology

baitless

B3A1I1T1L1E1S1S1

Today it means: Without bait. Full definition →

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

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeyd-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéydt
  3. Proto-Germanic*bītaną
  4. Proto-Germanic*baitijaną
  5. Old Norsebeita
  6. Middle Englishbayte
  7. Englishbait
  8. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
  10. Proto-Germanic*leusaną
  11. Proto-Germanic*lausaz
  12. English todaybaitless

From bait + -less.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.