flightless
Meaning
(of a bird or other winged animal) unable to fly.
Structure
Usage
The ostrich is a large, flightless bird native to Africa.
Penguins are flightless, but their wings are perfectly adapted for swimming.
The dodo was a flightless bird that became extinct in the 17th century.
Etymology
The word 'flightless' is a modern English compound formed by combining the native English noun 'flight' with the adjectival suffix '-less'. 'Flight' itself originates from the Proto-Germanic root fleuganą, meaning "to fly", which evolved through Old English. The suffix '-less' derives from the Old English -lēas, meaning "devoid of", from a root meaning "to lose". The compound's logic is transparently descriptive, directly applying the concept of "without flight" to birds like ostriches, penguins, and kiwis whose wings have become vestigial through evolution, losing the primary avian function.
Analysis
- flight: From Old English flyht, related to flēogan (to fly). A noun-forming suffix indicating the action or process of flying. - less: From Old English -lēas, meaning "devoid of, free from". An adjective-forming suffix meaning "without".