Etymograph

English

handless

Handless comes from Proto-Germanic *handuz ‘hand’.

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*handuz‘hand’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*handulausazreconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150*handlēasreconstructed
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500handles
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1602handless

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*handuz‘hand’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*handulausazreconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150*handlēasreconstructed
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500handles
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1602handless

Earliest quotation: c. 1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida: “Together with his mangled Myrmidons, That noseless, handless, hack'd…”

Formed from hand + -less

Proto-Germanic *handuz

Proto-West Germanic *handu

Old English hand

Middle English hond

English hand

Linked words

through Proto-Germanic *handuz ‘hand’

handsome, handful, handy, 3 more

Today it means

adj Without any hands.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *handuz / handless

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