Where does “willowless” come from?

willowless (English) comes from English Willow, from Middle English wilwe, from Old English weliġ, from Proto-West Germanic wilig, from Proto-Germanic wiligaz, from Proto-Indo-European weliḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wēl- — to see, perceive.

willowless (English): Without willow trees

Definitions

  1. Without willow trees

Ancestry of “willowless”, step by step

willowless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Willow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWillowof modern usage
2Middle Englishwilwewillow
3Old Englishweliġwell-to-do, prosperous, rich; willow
4Proto-West Germanicwiligwillow
5Proto-Germanicwiligaz—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweliḱ-willow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwēl-to see, perceive

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 wēl- →