Homeless
/ˈhoʊm.ləs/noun
Without a permanent place to live.
Did you know?Unlike occult-loaded words such as *spell* or *glamour*, *homeless* is a straightforward Old English formation: the power here is social, not magical, because the suffix *-less* turns loss into identity.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hāmleas
“without a home; lacking a dwelling”
Middle English
ME
homeles
“without a home or shelter”
Early Modern English
English
homeless
“lacking a fixed place to live”
Modern English
English
homeless
“without a permanent place to live”