Where does “fleeceless” come from?

fleeceless (English) comes from English fleece, from Middle English fles, from Old English flēos, from Proto-West Germanic fleus, from Proto-Germanic fleusaz, from Proto-Indo-European plews-, from Proto-Indo-European plúsis — flea.

fleeceless (English): Without fleece

Definitions

  1. Without fleece

Ancestry of “fleeceless”, step by step

fleeceless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English fleece

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfleeceHair or wool of a sheep or similar animal;...
2Middle EnglishflesA sheepskin or fleece; the skin of a sheep
3Old Englishflēosfleece
4Proto-West Germanicfleusfleece
5Proto-Germanicfleusaz
6Proto-Indo-Europeanplews-to pluck, a feather, fleece; to pull out, pluck
7Proto-Indo-Europeanplúsisflea

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 plúsisEvery word from Proto-Indo-European plews-Every word from Proto-Germanic fleusaz
fleeceless — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer