Where does “referentlessness” come from?
referentlessness (English) comes from English referentless, from English referent, from English refer, from Middle English referren, from Old French referer, from Latin referre, from Latin ferre, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.
referentlessness (English): Absence of a referent
Definitions
- Absence of a referent
Ancestry of “referentlessness”, step by step
referentlessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English referentless
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | referentless | Without a referent |
| 2 | English | referent | The specific entity in the world that a word or... |
| 3 | English | refer | To direct the attention of; To submit to for... |
| 4 | Middle English | referren | — |
| 5 | Old French | referer | to tell; to talk about; to speak of |
| 6 | Latin | referre | present active infinitive of referō; to refer |
| 7 | Latin | ferre | present active infinitive of ferō; bring; carry |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An 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 |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |