Where does “harpless” come from?
harpless (English) comes from English harp, from Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe, from Proto-Germanic harpǭ, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreb-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.
harpless (English): Without a harp
Definitions
- Without a harp
Ancestry of “harpless”, step by step
harpless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English harp
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | harp | A musical instrument consisting of a body and a... |
| 2 | Middle English | harpe | harp |
| 3 | Old English | hearpe | harp |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | harpǭ | harp |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kreb- | to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ker- | to cut off; to turn, bend |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |