Where does “dowerlessness” come from?

dowerlessness (English) comes from English dowerless, from English dower, from Middle English dower, from Old French doeire, from Medieval Latin dotarium, from Latin dōs, from Proto-Italic dōtis, from Proto-Indo-European déh₃tis — Derives abstract/action nouns from verb roots.

dowerlessness (English): Absence of a dower

Definitions

  1. Absence of a dower

Ancestry of “dowerlessness”, step by step

dowerlessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English dowerless

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdowerlessLacking a dowry
2EnglishdowerThe part of or interest in a deceased husband's...
3Middle EnglishdowerA dower; a life estate of a male spouse's...
4Old Frenchdoeiredowry
5Medieval Latindotarium
6Latindōsdowry
7Proto-Italicdōtis
8Proto-Indo-Europeandéh₃tisgiving
9Proto-Indo-European-tisDerives abstract/action nouns from verb roots

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 -tisEvery word from Proto-Indo-European déh₃tisEvery word from Proto-Italic dōtis