Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “costless” come from?

Costless derives from English cost, which comes from German kosten, ultimately from Latin constare, meaning to stand together or be fixed at a price.

costless (English): having no cost

Definitions

  1. having no cost

Ancestry of “costless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcostTo incur a charge of; to require payment of a ...
2Middle Englishcostmeans
3Middle Englishcostento cost
4Old FrenchcousterAlternative form of coster; to cost
5Medieval Latincosto—
6Latinconstoto stand together; to stand still; to remain the...
7Latincom-allomorph of con-
8Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
9Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
10Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
11Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
13Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
14Middle Englishkyt—
15Russianкитwhale; genitive plural of ки́та
16Old Church Slavonicкитъwhale
17Ancient Greekκῆτοςwhale, sea monster; abyss

Words derived from “costless”

  • costlessly
  • costlessness
Every word from Ancient Greek κῆτος →