Where does “motherless” come from?

Motherless derives from Middle English moderles, Old English mōdorlēas (lacking a mother), from Proto-Germanic mōdērlausaz, combining mōdēr (mother) and lewH- (to loosen or break apart).

motherless (English): Without a mother; Without mother; Without a...

Definitions

  1. Without a mother; Without mother; Without a...

Ancestry of “motherless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmoderlesmotherless
2Old Englishmōdorlēasmotherless
3Proto-Germanicmōdērlausazwithout a mother
4Proto-Germanic-lausaz-less, lacking, devoid of
5Proto-Germaniclausazloose, free; empty, devoid; false, untrue
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse

Words derived from “motherless”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic lausaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic -lausaz →