Where does “shootless” come from?

shootless (English) comes from English shoot, from Middle English shoten, from Old English sċēotan, from Proto-West Germanic skeutan, from Proto-Germanic skeutaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewd- — to advance, push; to drive, propel.

shootless (English): Without shoots

Definitions

  1. Without shoots

Ancestry of “shootless”, step by step

shootless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shoot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshootTo launch a projectile; To move or act quickly or...
2Middle Englishshoten—
3Old Englishsċēotanto shoot
4Proto-West Germanicskeutanto shoot
5Proto-Germanicskeutanąto shoot
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewd-to advance, push; to drive, propel

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—

Words derived from “shootless”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skeutaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic skeutan →
shootless — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer