Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “harmless” come from?

Harmless comes from Middle English harmles, from Old English hearmlēas, from Proto-Germanic harmalausaz, literally meaning free from harm.

harmless (English): Incapable of causing harm or danger; safe; Not...

Definitions

  1. Incapable of causing harm or danger; safe; Not...

Ancestry of “harmless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishharmles—
2Old Englishhearmlēas—
3Proto-Germanicharmalausazwithout harm; harmless

Words derived from “harmless”

  • harmlessly
  • harmlessness
Every word from Proto-Germanic harmalausaz →