fruitless etymology

Etymology

The word "fruitless" is derived from the Middle English word "fruteles," which in turn comes from the Old English word "frutlēs," meaning "without fruit." The suffix "-less" indicates a lack or absence, so "fruitless" literally means "without fruit."

Meaning

The word "fruitless" has several related meanings:

• Not producing fruit or offspring:

  • "The tree was fruitless, bearing no apples year after year."
  • "The couple's efforts to have a child proved fruitless."

• Unsuccessful or unproductive:

  • "The negotiations were fruitless, leading to no agreement."
  • "Despite his hard work, his attempts were fruitless."

• Vain or worthless:

  • "The pursuit of wealth and fame can be fruitless in the end."
  • "Her complaints were fruitless, as no one paid any attention."

Origin

The concept of "fruitless" has been associated with various cultures and contexts throughout history. In ancient Greek agriculture, fruitless trees were considered a sign of barrenness and could be sacrificed to deities. In Christianity, fruitless vines and trees have been used as metaphors for unfaithful or unproductive believers. The word "fruitless" has also been found in literary works such as the Bible and Shakespeare's plays.

fruitless relate terms

• fruit

  Etymology The word fruit is derived from the Latin word fructus meaning the produce

• loose

  Etymology The word loose originates from the Proto Germanic word lausaz meaning to l

• lease

  Etymology Lease is derived from the Old French word less meaning to let or to relea

• brook

  Etymology Middle English broke brook Old English brōc Proto West Germanic brōk

• defunct

  Etymology The word defunct comes from the Latin verb defungor which means to perfor

• fructify

  Etymology The word fructify comes from the Latin word fructus meaning fruit and t

• fructose

  Etymology The word fructose is derived from the Latin word fructus meaning fruit

• frugal

  Etymology Frugal comes from the Latin word frugi which means useful productive

• fruit

  Etymology The word fruit is derived from the Latin word fructus meaning the produce

• fruitcake

  Etymology fruit n from Middle English fruit from Anglo French fruit from Vulgar

• fruitful

  Etymology Origin Latin fructuosus fruitful productive Meaning bearing or yieldin

• fruition

  Etymology fruition n late 15c from Latin fructus fruit from fruor enjoy Mean

• fruitless

  Etymology The word fruitless is derived from the Middle English word fruteles which

• frumentaceous

  Etymology Latin frumentum grain corn aceous suffix indicating pertaining to

• function

  Etymology is the study of the history of words including their origins forms and meanin

• fungible

  Etymology Latin fungibilis from fungi to perform Meaning Fungible refers to s

• perfunctory

  Etymology The word perfunctory originates from the Latin phrase per functus which m

• tutti frutti

  Etymology Italian tuttifrutti meaning all fruits Meaning A mixture of candied

• usufruct

  Etymology The word usufruct comes from the Latin phrase usus fructus which means u

• vain

  Etymology The word vain is derived from the Middle English vain which in turn comes

• vaunt

  Etymology The word vaunt comes from the Middle English word vanten which itself deri

• vanity

  Etymology From Middle English vanite from Old French vanité from Latin vanitas emp

• nature

  Etymology The word nature ultimately derives from the Latin word natura which means

• rejoice

  Etymology The word rejoice comes from the Middle English word rejoisen which is deri

• certain

  Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It investigates how

• innovation

  Etymology The word innovation originates from the Latin word innovatus which means

• news

  Etymology The word news is derived from the following sources Old English niwe o