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nameless

[ neym-lis ]
/ ˈneɪm lɪs /
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See synonyms for: nameless / namelessness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
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Origin of nameless

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at name, -less

OTHER WORDS FROM nameless

name·less·ly, adverbname·less·ness, nounquasi-nameless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT NAMELESS

What does nameless mean?

Nameless means having no name, as in Emily Dickensen’s poems are all nameless, so we refer to them by their first lines instead.

Nameless also means anonymous, as in Journalists sometimes use nameless sources of information in order to get the details they need for their stories.

You might use nameless to describe something incapable of being described, such as a nameless charm.

Example: A nameless writer created one of the world’s most well-known proverbs.

Where does nameless come from?

The first records of the term nameless come from the late 1200s. It comes from Middle English and combines the term name, meaning “word that something is called by,” and the suffix less, meaning “without.”

Nameless describe something as literally not having a name or can be used in specific cases when a name is not given, as in The worker who will remain nameless said that the manager walked out on Sunday. It can also be used when something is revered as so good or so awful that words cannot describe it, as in The nameless appeal of superhero movies has taken the world by storm.

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What are some other forms related to nameless?

  • namelessly (adverb)
  • namelessness (noun)
  • quasi-nameless (adjective)

What are some synonyms for nameless?

What are some words that share a root or word element with nameless?

What are some words that often get used in discussing nameless?

How is nameless used in real life?

Nameless is used to describe something or someone that doesn’t have a name.

 

 

Try using nameless!

Is nameless used correctly in the following sentence?

To avoid promoting the crime he did, the traitor will remain nameless in news reports.

How to use nameless in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nameless

nameless
/ (ˈneɪmlɪs) /

adjective
without a name; anonymous
incapable of being named; indescribablea nameless horror seized him
too unpleasant or disturbing to be mentionednameless atrocities
having no legal name; illegitimatea nameless child

Derived forms of nameless

namelessly, adverbnamelessness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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