Etymograph

English

endlessness

Endlessness comes from Middle English endelesnesse ‘endlessness, eternalness’, from Proto-Germanic *andijaz ‘the endpoint of something, whether the front…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- ‘face, forehead’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ent-‘face, forehead’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂entíos‘front, forehead, end’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*andijaz‘the endpoint of something, whether the front end or back end’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*andijalausaz‘endless’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150endelēas‘endless’
  6. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150endelēasnes
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500endelesnesse‘endlessness, eternalness’
  8. Englishtodayendlessness

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ent-‘face, forehead’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂entíos‘front, forehead, end’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*andijaz‘the endpoint of something, whether the front end or back end’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*andijalausaz‘endless’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150endelēas‘endless’
  6. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150endelēasnes
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500endelesnesse‘endlessness, eternalness’
  8. Englishtodayendlessness

Formed from endless + -ness

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- ‘face, forehead’

…

Proto-Germanic *andijaz ‘the endpoint of something, whether the front…’

Proto-Germanic *andijalausaz

Old English endelēas

Middle English endeles ‘Unending in time’

English endless

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- ‘face, forehead’

and, answer, ancient, antique, ante, 10 more

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂entíos ‘front, forehead, end’

ending, 5 more

through Proto-Germanic *andijaz ‘the endpoint of something, whether the front…’

end, ender, 5 more

Today it means

noun The state or characteristic of being endless.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- / endlessness

Shirt and support for this word