Where does “sinewless” come from?

sinewless (English) comes from English sinew, from Middle English synwe, from Old English sinu, from Proto-West Germanic sinu, from Proto-Germanic senawō, from Proto-Indo-European snḗh₁wr̥, from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₁- — to spin (thread), to sew.

sinewless (English): Having no sinews; Lacking strength or vigour

Definitions

  1. Having no sinews; Lacking strength or vigour

Ancestry of “sinewless”, step by step

sinewless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sinew

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsinewA cord or tendon of the body; A cord or string,...
2Middle EnglishsynweA tendon or sinew band of collagen
3Old Englishsinusinew, nerve, tendon
4Proto-West Germanicsinusinew
5Proto-Germanicsenawōcord, tendon, sinew; nerve
6Proto-Indo-Europeansnḗh₁wr̥tendon, sinew; sinew, tendon
7Proto-Indo-European(s)neh₁-to spin (thread), to sew

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 “sinewless

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European snḗh₁wr̥Every word from Proto-Germanic senawō