headless

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   having no head or top, especially because the head has been removed

   The archaeologists found a headless statue near the ruined temple.

2. 2
   adj

   lacking a leader or effective direction

   After the resignation, the organization was temporarily headless.

3. 3
   adj

   operating without a monitor, keyboard, or graphical interface

   The headless server is administered remotely from another computer.

From Middle English heedles and hevedles, from Old English heafodleas, formed from heafod ('head') + leas ('without'). The literal sense is ancient; later figurative uses describe something without leadership, and modern computing uses apply it to systems without attached input or display devices.

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