Where does “knifelessness” come from?

knifelessness (English) comes from English knifeless, from English knife, from Middle English knyf, from Old English cnīf, from Old Norse knífr, from Proto-Germanic knībaz, from Proto-Germanic knīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European ǵneybʰ-.

knifelessness (English): Absence of knives

Definitions

  1. Absence of knives

Ancestry of “knifelessness”, step by step

knifelessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English knifeless

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishknifelessWithout a knife or knives
2EnglishknifeA utensil or a tool designed for cutting,...
3Middle EnglishknyfA knife as a tool or instrument; the following...
4Old Englishcnīfknife
5Old Norseknífrknife
6Proto-Germanicknībazpincers; shears; knife
7Proto-Germanicknīpanąto pinch
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵneybʰ-

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵneybʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic knīpanąEvery word from Proto-Germanic knībaz