brushless

B3R1U1S1H4L1E1S1S1

adjective

Of an electric motor: that does not use brushes, physical contacts for the commutator.

“a brushless motor”

OriginProto-Germanic *lausaz ← Proto-Indo-European *lewHs- ← English brush →
Less commonScrabble 14
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Meanings

adjectivebrushless (not comparable)
  1. Not requiring the use of a brush.
    1. not comparableOf an electric motor: that does not use brushes, physical contacts for the commutator.

      a brushless motor

    2. not comparableNot requiring the use of a hairbrush, scrubbing brush, or other brush.

      a brushless shaving cream

      1 more example

      a brushless finish on the concrete

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰers-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰr̥stís
  3. Proto-Germanic*bʰurstís
  4. Proto-Germanic*burstiz
  5. Frankish*bursti
  6. Vulgar Latin*brustia
  7. Old Frenchbroisse
  8. Middle Englishbrusshe
  9. Englishbrush
  10. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
  12. Proto-Germanic*leusaną
  13. Proto-Germanic*lausaz
  14. Englishbrushless

From brush + -less.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish harjaton, hiiliharjaton
  • harjaton(motor) not using brushes
  • hiiliharjaton(motor) not using brushes
  • harjatonnot requiring the use of a brush
French sans balais, brushless
  • sans balais(motor) not using brushes
  • brushless(motor) not using brushes
  • sans blaireaunot requiring the use of a brush
  • sans brossenot requiring the use of a brush

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

shrubless
Cite this entry
APA

brushless. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brushless

MLA

“brushless.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brushless. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “brushless,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brushless.

Source: brushless on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.