cordless

The word "cordless" is a modern English compound formed in the 20th century from the noun "cord" and the adjective-forming suffix "-less." "Cord" traces back to the Latin chorda, meaning a string or gut, particularly of a musical instrument, which itself derives from the Greek khordḗ (gut, string of a lyre). The suffix "-less" originates from the Old English -lēas, meaning "devoid of," which is related to the verb lēosan (to lose). The logic of the compound is transparent and descriptive: a "cordless" device is literally one that is "without a cord," eliminating the need for a physical tether to a power source or connecting line, a concept that became commercially significant with the advent of battery-powered and radio-wave-based technologies like telephones and tools.

Structure: cord (string/rope) + less (without) - cord: From Latin chorda (string of a musical instrument, gut), via Old French corde. In English, it refers to a thin, flexible string or insulated electrical cable. - less: From Old English -lēas (devoid of, free from), a suffix used to form adjectives meaning "without."