Where does “agentlessness” come from?

agentlessness (English) comes from English agentless, from English agent, from Latin agēns, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

agentlessness (English): Lack of an agent

Definitions

  1. Lack of an agent

Ancestry of “agentlessness”, step by step

agentlessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English agentless

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishagentlessWithout an agent
2EnglishagentOne who exerts power, or has the power to act;...
3Latinagēnsdoing, acting, making
4Latinagōto act, to behave
5Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
7Proto-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