Where does “girthless” come from?

girthless (English) comes from English girth, from Middle English girth, from Old Norse gjǫrð, from Proto-Germanic gerdō, from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- — to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt.

girthless (English): Without a girth, or strap for a saddle

Definitions

  1. Without a girth, or strap for a saddle

Ancestry of “girthless”, step by step

girthless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English girth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgirthA band passed under the belly of an animal, which...
2Middle Englishgirth—
3Old Norsegjǫrðgirdle, saddle girth
4Proto-Germanicgerdōgirdle
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰerdʰ-to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt

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 gʰerdʰ- →