-less (-l&ebreve_;s) suff. [AS. leás loose, false; akin to OS. lōs loose, false, D. los loose, loos false, sly, G. los loose, Icel. lauss loose, vacant, Goth. laus empty, vain, and also to E. loose, lose. √127. See Lose, and cf. Loose, Leasing.] A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of, not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.
[1913 Webster]