napless en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈnæpləs/ (US)
Etymology
Etymology tree English nap Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English napless From nap (“soft or fuzzy surface, generally on fabric or leather”) + -less.
Meanings
-
Without a nap; worn or threadbare.
Stout men with napless hats on, look out of the bedroom windows, and cut jokes with friends in the street.
1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “chapter 59”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more napless | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most napless | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |