Where does “evneløs” come from?

evneløs (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Norwegian Bokmål løs, from Danish løs, from Danish losse, from Dutch lossen, from Dutch -en, from Middle Dutch -en, from Old Dutch -en, from Proto-Germanic -janą — he, she.

evneløs (Norwegian Bokmål): incapable, lacking in ability, untalented

Definitions

  1. incapable, lacking in ability, untalented

Ancestry of “evneløs”, step by step

evneløs traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Bokmål løs

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålløsfree; loose; flimsy
2Danishløsloose, not tight
3Danishlosseto unload, discharge cargo
4Dutchlossento unload; to dump
5Dutch-enForms verbs from nouns and adjectives. The stem...
6Middle Dutch-enThe ending of the infinitive form of verbs, used...
7Old Dutch-en
8Proto-Germanic-janąDerives denominatives from nouns and factitives...
9Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
11Chichewaiyehe, she

via Norwegian Bokmål evne

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålevneability, capacity, talent
2Danishevneability; power; capacity
3Old Norseefnistuff, material; matter of discourse; matter,...
4Proto-GermanicabnijąThat which is made; material; stuff
5Proto-Germanic*abnijaną
6Proto-Indo-Europeanōp-to achieve
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from Proto-Germanic -janąEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yéti