English
ghostless
Ghostless comes from Old English gāstlēas ‘lifeless, dead’, from gāst ‘spirit’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéysd-os.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰéysd-osreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gaistaz‘spirit, ghost’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gaist‘ghost, spirit’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150gāst‘spirit’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150gāstlēas‘lifeless, dead’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*gostlesreconstructed
- Englishearliest quotation 1996ghostless
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰéysd-osreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gaistaz‘spirit, ghost’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gaist‘ghost, spirit’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150gāst‘spirit’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150gāstlēas‘lifeless, dead’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*gostlesreconstructed
- Englishearliest quotation 1996ghostless
Earliest quotation: 1996, Michael Dugan: “I don't know about Gary, but I dreamed about…”
Formed from ghost + -less
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéysd-
…
Proto-Germanic *gaistaz ‘terror’
Proto-West Germanic *gaist ‘ghost’
Old English gāst ‘breath’
Middle English gost ‘a spiritual being’
English ghost
Linked words
through Proto-West Germanic *gaist ‘ghost, spirit’
Today it means
adj Without spirit, soul, or life; dead.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéysd-os / ghostless