Where does “flipperless” come from?

flipperless (English) comes from English flipper, from English Flip, from English fillip, from Middle English filippen, from Middle English flappen — to flap, clap, slap, strike.

flipperless (English): Without flippers

Definitions

  1. Without flippers

Ancestry of “flipperless”, step by step

flipperless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English flipper

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflipperIn marine mammals such as whales, a wide flat...
2EnglishFlipA Filipino; a person who is of Filipino...
3EnglishfillipThe action of holding the tip of a finger against...
4Middle Englishfilippento make a signal or sound with thumb and right...
5Middle Englishflappento flap, clap, slap, strike

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 Middle English flappen