Etymology

leaderless

L1E1A1D2E1R1L1E1S1S1

Today it means: Without a person providing direction. Full definition →

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

  1. Proto-West Germanic*laidī
  2. Proto-West Germanic*laid
  3. Proto-West Germanic*laidijārī
  4. Old Englishlǣdere
  5. Middle Englishledere
  6. Englishleader
  7. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
  9. Proto-Germanic*leusaną
  10. Proto-Germanic*lausaz
  11. English todayleaderless

From leader + -less.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.