Where does “deviceless” come from?
deviceless (English) comes from English less, from Middle English les, from Old English lēas, from Proto-Germanic *laus.
deviceless (English): Without a device
Ancestry of “deviceless”, step by step
deviceless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English less
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | less | To a smaller extent or degree; comparative form... |
| 2 | Middle English | les | false; lying; deceptive; falsehood; a lie |
| 3 | Old English | lēas | false, lax; false, void, loose; devoid of, loose... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *laus | — |
via English device
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | device | Any piece of equipment made for a particular... |
| 2 | Middle English | devis | — |