Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bottomless” come from?

Bottomless derives from Middle English botmeles, composed of Middle English bot (bottom) from Old English botm and the suffix Middle English -les from Old English -lēas (lacking), which traces to Proto-Indo-European lewH- (to leave, abandon).

bottomless (English): Having no bottom; Extremely deep; Having no...

Definitions

  1. Having no bottom; Extremely deep; Having no...

Ancestry of “bottomless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbottomThe lowest part of anything; Character,...
2Middle EnglishbotmeThe lowest section of something; the bottom,...
3Old Englishbotmbottom; foundation; ground; abyss
4Proto-Germanicbutmazbottom; foundation; ground; abyss
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “bottomless”

  • bottomlessness
  • bottomlessly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →