Etymology

lawless

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Today it means: Not governed by any law. Full definition →

Middle English laweles ← Proto-Germanic *lausaz ← Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-
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lawless · adjective1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*legʰ-
  2. Proto-Germanic*lagą
  3. Old Norselag
  4. Old Norselǫg
  5. Old Englishlagu
  6. Middle Englishlawe
  7. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
  9. Proto-Germanic*leusaną
  10. Proto-Germanic*lausaz
  11. Middle Englishlaweles
  12. English todaylawless

From Middle English laweles; equivalent to law + -less. Cognate with Danish lovløs (“lawless”), Swedish laglös (“lawless”), Norwegian lovløs (“lawless”), Icelandic löglaus (“lawless”).

Lawless · proper noun2

  1. Middle English · derived fromlaweles“lawless”
  2. English todayLawless

From Middle English laweles (“lawless”), a nickname for an unrestrained and licentious man.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.