Where does “shearless” come from?

shearless (English) comes from English shear, from Middle English schyre, from Old English sċīr, from Old English burna, from Proto-West Germanic brunnō, from Proto-Germanic brunnô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁- — to bear, carry.

shearless (English): Having, or producing no shear

Definitions

  1. Having, or producing no shear

Ancestry of “shearless”, step by step

shearless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shear

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshearTo cut, originally with a sword or other bladed...
2Middle EnglishschyreAlternative form of shire; bright, shimmering,...
3Old Englishsċīrbright; shire; county
4Old Englishburnastream
5Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
6Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

via English less

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlessTo a smaller extent or degree; comparative form...
2Middle Englishlesfalse; lying; deceptive; falsehood; a lie
3Old Englishlēasfalse, lax; false, void, loose; devoid of, loose...
4Proto-Germanic*laus
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-
shearless — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer