Where does “phosphorless” come from?
phosphorless (English) comes from English less, from Middle English les, from Old English lēas, from Proto-Germanic *laus.
phosphorless (English): Without phosphor
Definitions
- Without phosphor
Ancestry of “phosphorless”, step by step
phosphorless 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 phosphor
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | phosphor | Any of various compounds of transition metals or... |