Where does “hertles” come from?

hertles (Middle English) comes from Old English heortlēas, from Old English -lēas, from Proto-West Germanic *-laus, from Proto-Germanic -lausaz, from Proto-Germanic lausaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewH- — louse.

hertles (Middle English): Having no bravery or showing cowardice; fearful;...

Definitions

  1. Having no bravery or showing cowardice; fearful;...

Ancestry of “hertles”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishheortlēaswithout courage; listless
2Old English-lēas-less
3Proto-West Germanic*-lauswithout, -less
4Proto-Germanic-lausaz-less, lacking, devoid of
5Proto-Germaniclausazloose, free; empty, devoid; false, untrue
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse

Words derived from “hertles”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic lausaz →Every word from Old English -lēas →