Ruthless
/ˈruːθ.ləs/noun
Having or showing no pity or compassion.
Did you know?“Ruth” once meant pity, compassion, or mercy in English, so “ruthless” is a rare word built from a lost emotion rather than a monster or spell.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hrēowþ
“Sorrow, regret, pity, or compassion.”
Middle English
ME
routhe
“Pity, compassion, or mercy.”
13th–14th Century
English
ruthless
“Without pity or compassion.”
Modern English
English
ruthless
“Showing no mercy; cruelly unrelenting.”