Where does “rewardlessness” come from?

rewardlessness (English) comes from English rewardless, from English reward, from Middle English reward, from Old French reward, from Old French rewarder, from Old French warder, from Old French guarder, from Frankish wardēn — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

rewardlessness (English): Absence of a reward

Definitions

  1. Absence of a reward

Ancestry of “rewardlessness”, step by step

rewardlessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rewardless

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrewardlessLacking reward
2EnglishrewardSomething of value given in return for an act; A...
3Middle Englishreward
4Old Frenchrewardreward
5Old Frenchrewarderto reward
6Old FrenchwarderAlternative form of guarder
7Old Frenchguarderto protect; to guard; to look at
8Frankishwardēnto protect; to guard, protect, watch over; to...
9Proto-Germanicwardānąto guard, protect, watch over
10Proto-Germanic*warduz
11Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
12Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

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 wer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wēr-Every word from Proto-Germanic *warduz