Where does “heartlessly” come from?
heartlessly (English) comes from English heartless, from Middle English hertles, from Old English heortlēas, from Old English -lēas, from Proto-West Germanic *-laus, from Proto-Germanic -lausaz, from Proto-Germanic lausaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewH- — louse.
heartlessly (English): In a heartless manner
Ancestry of “heartlessly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | heartless | Without courage; fearful, cowardly; Listless,... |
| 2 | Middle English | hertles | Having no bravery or showing cowardice; fearful;... |
| 3 | Old English | heortlēas | without courage; listless |
| 4 | Old English | -lēas | -less |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *-laus | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -lausaz | -less, lacking, devoid of |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | lausaz | loose, free; empty, devoid; false, untrue |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewH- | louse |