motherless

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mōdērlausaz
2. Old English · inherited frommōdorlēas
3. Middle English · inherited frommoderles
4. English todaymotherless

From Middle English moderles, from Old English mōdorlēas, from Proto-Germanic *mōdērlausaz, equivalent to mother + -less. Cognate with Saterland Frisian muurloos (“motherless”), Dutch moederloos (“motherless”), German mutterlos (“motherless”), Danish moderløs (“motherless”), Swedish moderlös (“motherless”), Icelandic móðurlaus (“motherless”).