Where does “governessless” come from?
governessless (English) comes from English less, from Middle English les, from Old English lēas, from Proto-Germanic *laus.
governessless (English): Without a governess
Definitions
- Without a governess
Ancestry of “governessless”, step by step
governessless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English less
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | less | To a smaller extent or degree; comparative form... |
| 2 | Middle English | les | false; lying; deceptive; falsehood; a lie |
| 3 | Old English | lēas | false, lax; false, void, loose; devoid of, loose... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *laus | — |
via English governess
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | governess | A woman paid to educate children in their own... |
| 2 | Middle English | governeresse | A woman who controls or leads; a female figure in... |
| 3 | Old French | governeresse | female ruler or administrator |