Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sinless” come from?

Sinless derives from Middle English sinneles, Old English synlēas, and Proto-Germanic sundīlausaz, literally meaning free from sin or guilt.

sinless (English): Without sin; never having sinned

Definitions

  1. Without sin; never having sinned

Ancestry of “sinless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsynneles—
2Old Englishsynlēaswithout sin; sinless
3Old Englishsynnsin
4Proto-West Germanicsunnjuresponsibility; care; concern; worry; anxiety
5Proto-Germanicsunjōtruth, sooth; denial, protest
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁s-ónt-ih₂—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁sóntsactive participle of *h₁ésti; being, existence;...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ēs-—

Words derived from “sinless”

  • sinlessness
  • sinlessly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ēs- →