Where does “actlessness” come from?

actlessness (English) comes from English actless, from English Act, from English actually, from English actual, from Middle English actual, from Anglo-Norman actuel, from Old French actual, from Latin actuālis — to drive.

actlessness (English): Absence of an act; failure to act; inaction

Definitions

  1. Absence of an act; failure to act; inaction

Ancestry of “actlessness”, step by step

actlessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English actless

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishactlessWithout action or spirit
2EnglishAct
3EnglishactuallyIn act or in fact; really; in truth; positively;...
4Englishactualrelating to a person's acts or deeds; active,...
5Middle Englishactualactual, real, true
6Anglo-Normanactuel
7Old Frenchactual
8Latinactuālisactive, practical
9Latināctusmade, done, having been done
10Latinagōto act, to behave
11Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
13Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵetiEvery word from Proto-Italic agō