Where does “keeperless” come from?
keeperless (English) comes from English less, from Middle English les, from Old English lēas, from Proto-Germanic *laus.
keeperless (English): Not having a keeper; not minded; not kept
Definitions
- Not having a keeper; not minded; not kept
Ancestry of “keeperless”, step by step
keeperless 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 keeper
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | keeper | One who keeps something; A person or thing worth... |
| 2 | Middle English | kepere | — |