Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “-les” come from?

-les (Middle English) comes from Turkish -le, from Turkish ile, from Ottoman Turkish ایله, from Old Anatolian Turkish اِیلَه, from Proto-Turkic bile — with, together, also.

-les (Middle English): Lacking ; without

Definitions

  1. Lacking ; without

Ancestry of “-les”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Turkish-lewith, shortened form of ile; by, shortened form...
2Turkishilewith; and
3Ottoman Turkishایله—
4Old Anatolian Turkishاِیلَه—
5Proto-Turkicbilewith, together, also

Words derived from “-les”

  • regardless
  • useless
  • doubtless
  • wireless
  • hopeless
  • countless
  • motionless
  • meaningless
  • breathless
  • boundless
  • relentless
  • hopelessly
  • ruthless
  • senseless
  • fearless
  • fruitless
  • stainless
  • lawless
  • priceless
  • ceaseless
  • hopelessness
  • thoughtless
  • timeless
  • numberless
Every word from Proto-Turkic bile →