lifeless

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈlaɪfləs/ See IPA manual

Freq #16186

Meanings

1

adj
Dead, or appearing to be dead.

They found the bird lifeless on the ground.
2

adj
Lacking energy, excitement, or interest.

The film was slow and lifeless from start to finish.
3

adj
Unable to support life.

Scientists once thought Mars was a completely lifeless planet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · dead, or appearing to be dead. dead deceased

2 adj · lacking energy, excitement,... dull boring bland

Word family

Forms lifelessness

Derived forms lifelesslylifelessness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

lifeless body
The body of a person or animal that is no longer alive.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedish livlös (“lifeless”), Icelandic líflaus (“lifeless”).

lyfles Middle English līflēas Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# lifeless

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈlaɪfləs/
**Frequency rank:** 16186

## Meanings
1. Dead, or appearing to be dead.
2. Lacking energy, excitement, or interest.
3. Unable to support life.

## Examples
- They found the bird lifeless on the ground.
- The film was slow and lifeless from start to finish.
- Scientists once thought Mars was a completely lifeless planet.

## Derived Forms
- lifelessly
- lifelessness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: lyfles
- Root: līflēas

## Etymology
From Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedish livlös (“lifeless”), Icelandic líflaus (“lifeless”).

## AI Etymology
Lifeless comes from Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedish livlös (“lifeless”), Icelandic líflaus (“lifeless”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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