| 【less】 is a [English Root word(stem)] from the Old English word(s) "læs," and "læssa." It carries the basic meaning of "less." from PIE *leis- "small" |
[English words in the top 5000 most frequently used containing the root "less"]
less ****[1277] a smaller number or amount
lessen ☆[5279] If something lessens or you lessen it, it becomes smaller in size, amount, degree, or importance.
nevertheless ****[2107]
unless ****[1791] You use unless to introduce the only circumstances in which an event you are mentioning will not take place or in which a statement you are making is not true. Unless you are trying to lose weight to please yourself, it''s going to be tough to keep your motivation level high
[WORD ROOT]root less
[VARIATIONS OF ROOT] less
[ETYMOLOGY]root (Old English) læs, læssa
[MEANING]root less
【DETAILs OF ORIGIN(ETYMOLOGY】
- 【Old English】 læs (adv, ) less, lest
- 【Old English】 læssa (adj, ) less, smaller, fewer
Please see the Word information in detail as follows;
| ★★★★(top 2,000) ★★★(top 3,500) ★★(top 4,500) ☆(top 6,000) |
less ★★★★[1277] pronoun from less
【DEFINITION】 ① a smaller number or amount
② something that is smaller or less important than another thing
【ROOTs】 less; less
【Etymology】 《Old English læs》 (adv, ) less, lest
lessen ☆[5279] verb from less
【DEFINITION】 If something lessens or you lessen it, it becomes smaller in size, amount, degree, or importance.
【Declension/Conjugation】 lessened, lessened, lessening, lessens
【SYNONYM】 diminish, lighten
【COMPOSITION】 less + en
【ROOTs】 ⑴ less; less ⑵ en; verb suffix
【Etymology】 《Old English læs》 (adv, ) less, lest
【First Known Meaning】 to become less,
nevertheless ★★★★[2107] conjuction from never 〈 ever
【DEFINITION】
【SYNONYM】 yet
【COMPOSITION】 never + the + less
【ROOTs】 ⑴ n(no); ⑵ ever; ⑶ the; the ⑷ less; less
【Etymology】 《Old English næfre》 ne+æfre; not ever, at no time
unless ★★★★[1791] conjuction from unless 〈 less
【DEFINITION】 You use unless to introduce the only circumstances in which an event you are mentioning will not take place or in which a statement you are making is not true. Unless you are trying to lose weight to please yourself, it's going to be tough to keep your motivation level high
【SYNONYM】 but that
【COMPOSITION】 un + less
【ROOTs】 ⑴ un; prefix ⑵ less; less
【Etymology】 《Middle English onlesse》 [on+lesse] (not) on a less compelling condition (than)
【First Known Meaning】 (not) on a less compelling condition (than)
Other words containing "less"; lest
(※ Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the theorized common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages.)
【OTHER ROOTs; 】
lend
leg-, legis-
leg-, lega-, lege-, league
lect-, leg-
lead
lax
law
late
late
land
