Where does “spanlessness” come from?
spanlessness (English) comes from English spanless, from English span, from Middle English span, from Old English spann, from Proto-Germanic spann, from Proto-Germanic spinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)pénh₁-ne-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁- — to twist; to weave.
spanlessness (English): The quality of being spanless; limitless extent
Definitions
- The quality of being spanless; limitless extent
Ancestry of “spanlessness”, step by step
spanlessness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English spanless
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | spanless | Incapable of being spanned |
| 2 | English | span | The space from the thumb to the end of the little... |
| 3 | Middle English | span | Alternative form of spanne |
| 4 | Old English | spann | span |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | spann | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | spinnaną | to spin |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)pénh₁-ne- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)penh₁- | to twist; to weave |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An 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 |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |