Where does “owlless” come from?
owlless (English) comes from English less, from Middle English les, from Old English lēas, from Proto-Germanic *laus.
owlless (English): Lacking owls; without an owl
Definitions
- Lacking owls; without an owl
Ancestry of “owlless”, step by step
owlless 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 owl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | owl | Any of various birds of prey of the order... |
| 2 | Middle English | oule | owl; An insult, especially applied to the Devil;... |
| 3 | Old English | ūle | owl |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *uwwulā | owl |