meaningless
UK: ˈmiːnɪŋləs | US: ˈmiːnɪŋləs
adj. lacking meaning, purpose, or significance
adj. trivial or unimportant
meaningless = meaning<sense or significance> + less<without>
- meaning: Derived from Old English mǣnan ("to intend, signify"), from Proto-Germanic mainijaną ("to mean, think"). Evolved to represent the sense or significance of something.
- less: From Old English lēas ("without, devoid of"), related to Proto-Germanic lausaz ("loose, empty"). Used as a suffix to negate the preceding root.
Etymology Origin:
The word "meaningless" combines "meaning," which traces back to the concept of intention or significance, with the suffix "-less," indicating absence. This pairing creates a vivid contrast—literally "without meaning"—highlighting emptiness or triviality. The structure reflects a straightforward Germanic compounding pattern, where negation is efficiently appended to the root.
The document was filled with meaningless jargon.
He felt trapped in a meaningless job.
Her apology seemed meaningless after repeated mistakes.
The debate devolved into meaningless arguments.
Without context, the symbols appeared meaningless.