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How did the term “worthless†come by its current definition?
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If I were to define the term "worthless," I would define it as "worth LESS" or "worth not a lot."
But the actual dictionary definition is something like "worth zero." That's even less than "worth less" or "worth-not-a-lot."
How did the term come by its actual connotation. Could "less" in this context be a play or derivative of the German "los?" (The German Wertlos has the same meaning as the English worthless.)
meaning etymology
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
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up vote
1
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If I were to define the term "worthless," I would define it as "worth LESS" or "worth not a lot."
But the actual dictionary definition is something like "worth zero." That's even less than "worth less" or "worth-not-a-lot."
How did the term come by its actual connotation. Could "less" in this context be a play or derivative of the German "los?" (The German Wertlos has the same meaning as the English worthless.)
meaning etymology
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
1
It's worth with a suffix, not a compound of worth and less.
– John Lawler
2 hours ago
1
Worthless, senseless, ceaseless, careless, hopeless, thoughtless, pointless and so on, all bear the meaning 'being without the quality', idiomatically. I cannot think of one example which conveys the meaning 'being limited in said quality'. But it is an interesting point and the question provoked the answer below (leas meaning 'devoid') so I have up-voted both question and answer (+1).
– Nigel J
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
If I were to define the term "worthless," I would define it as "worth LESS" or "worth not a lot."
But the actual dictionary definition is something like "worth zero." That's even less than "worth less" or "worth-not-a-lot."
How did the term come by its actual connotation. Could "less" in this context be a play or derivative of the German "los?" (The German Wertlos has the same meaning as the English worthless.)
meaning etymology
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
If I were to define the term "worthless," I would define it as "worth LESS" or "worth not a lot."
But the actual dictionary definition is something like "worth zero." That's even less than "worth less" or "worth-not-a-lot."
How did the term come by its actual connotation. Could "less" in this context be a play or derivative of the German "los?" (The German Wertlos has the same meaning as the English worthless.)
meaning etymology
meaning etymology
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
asked 3 hours ago
Tom Au
9,62842548
9,62842548
1
It's worth with a suffix, not a compound of worth and less.
– John Lawler
2 hours ago
1
Worthless, senseless, ceaseless, careless, hopeless, thoughtless, pointless and so on, all bear the meaning 'being without the quality', idiomatically. I cannot think of one example which conveys the meaning 'being limited in said quality'. But it is an interesting point and the question provoked the answer below (leas meaning 'devoid') so I have up-voted both question and answer (+1).
– Nigel J
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1
It's worth with a suffix, not a compound of worth and less.
– John Lawler
2 hours ago
1
Worthless, senseless, ceaseless, careless, hopeless, thoughtless, pointless and so on, all bear the meaning 'being without the quality', idiomatically. I cannot think of one example which conveys the meaning 'being limited in said quality'. But it is an interesting point and the question provoked the answer below (leas meaning 'devoid') so I have up-voted both question and answer (+1).
– Nigel J
11 mins ago
1
1
It's worth with a suffix, not a compound of worth and less.
– John Lawler
2 hours ago
It's worth with a suffix, not a compound of worth and less.
– John Lawler
2 hours ago
1
1
Worthless, senseless, ceaseless, careless, hopeless, thoughtless, pointless and so on, all bear the meaning 'being without the quality', idiomatically. I cannot think of one example which conveys the meaning 'being limited in said quality'. But it is an interesting point and the question provoked the answer below (leas meaning 'devoid') so I have up-voted both question and answer (+1).
– Nigel J
11 mins ago
Worthless, senseless, ceaseless, careless, hopeless, thoughtless, pointless and so on, all bear the meaning 'being without the quality', idiomatically. I cannot think of one example which conveys the meaning 'being limited in said quality'. But it is an interesting point and the question provoked the answer below (leas meaning 'devoid') so I have up-voted both question and answer (+1).
– Nigel J
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
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Your definition would be wrong. The suffix -less means:
1 (forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns) not having; free from.
‘flavourless’
‘skinless’
2 (forming adjectives and adverbs from verbs) not affected by or not
carrying out the action of the verb.
‘fathomless’
‘tireless’
Origin
Old English -lēas, from lēas ‘devoid of’.
Note that the origin given for the word less is different.
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
2
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
Your definition would be wrong. The suffix -less means:
1 (forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns) not having; free from.
‘flavourless’
‘skinless’
2 (forming adjectives and adverbs from verbs) not affected by or not
carrying out the action of the verb.
‘fathomless’
‘tireless’
Origin
Old English -lēas, from lēas ‘devoid of’.
Note that the origin given for the word less is different.
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
2
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
Your definition would be wrong. The suffix -less means:
1 (forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns) not having; free from.
‘flavourless’
‘skinless’
2 (forming adjectives and adverbs from verbs) not affected by or not
carrying out the action of the verb.
‘fathomless’
‘tireless’
Origin
Old English -lēas, from lēas ‘devoid of’.
Note that the origin given for the word less is different.
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
2
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
Your definition would be wrong. The suffix -less means:
1 (forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns) not having; free from.
‘flavourless’
‘skinless’
2 (forming adjectives and adverbs from verbs) not affected by or not
carrying out the action of the verb.
‘fathomless’
‘tireless’
Origin
Old English -lēas, from lēas ‘devoid of’.
Note that the origin given for the word less is different.
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
Your definition would be wrong. The suffix -less means:
1 (forming adjectives and adverbs from nouns) not having; free from.
‘flavourless’
‘skinless’
2 (forming adjectives and adverbs from verbs) not affected by or not
carrying out the action of the verb.
‘fathomless’
‘tireless’
Origin
Old English -lēas, from lēas ‘devoid of’.
Note that the origin given for the word less is different.
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
answered 2 hours ago
michael.hor257k
7,43621427
7,43621427
2
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
2
2
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
It is also much used: countless, seamless. Though in countless it means so much. Funny, huh?
– Lambie
2 hours ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
Countless conforms to the explanation given by michael.hor257k. It means a number not having a countable total, because it is so large that it has not been (or cannot be) counted. There are countless grains of sand on the beach.
– Michael Harvey
14 mins ago
add a comment |Â
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1
It's worth with a suffix, not a compound of worth and less.
– John Lawler
2 hours ago
1
Worthless, senseless, ceaseless, careless, hopeless, thoughtless, pointless and so on, all bear the meaning 'being without the quality', idiomatically. I cannot think of one example which conveys the meaning 'being limited in said quality'. But it is an interesting point and the question provoked the answer below (leas meaning 'devoid') so I have up-voted both question and answer (+1).
– Nigel J
11 mins ago