Tasteless
/ˈteɪst.ləs/noun
Lacking flavor, or lacking good judgment, tact, or aesthetic sensibility.
Did you know?“Tasteless” is built from “taste” plus the old English suffix “-less,” and its second meaning—“vulgar or insensitive”—shows how physical sensation often becomes a moral judgment in English.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
tǣste
“having flavor; perceivable by the sense of taste”
Old English
OE
-lēas
“free from; without”
14th Century
English
tasteles
“without taste or flavor”
17th Century
English
tasteless
“lacking flavor; also lacking refinement or good judgment”
Modern English
English
tasteless
“having no flavor, or showing poor taste or tact”