Where does “earringless” come from?

earringless (English) comes from English earring, from Middle English erering, from Old English ēarhring, from Old English hring, from Proto-West Germanic hring, from Proto-Germanic hringaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)krengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- — to cut, cut off, sever.

earringless (English): Without earrings

Definitions

  1. Without earrings

Ancestry of “earringless”, step by step

earringless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English earring

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishearringA piece of jewelry worn on the ear
2Middle Englisherering
3Old Englishēarhringear-ring
4Old Englishhringring
5Proto-West Germanichringring, circle
6Proto-Germanichringazring, circle; curve; sound, ring
7Proto-Indo-European(s)krengʰ-to turn, bend
8Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
9Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

via English less

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlessTo a smaller extent or degree; comparative form...
2Middle Englishlesfalse; lying; deceptive; falsehood; a lie
3Old Englishlēasfalse, lax; false, void, loose; devoid of, loose...
4Proto-Germanic*laus
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek-Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)krengʰ-
earringless — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer