hollowed-out
UK[ˈhɒləʊd aʊt]US[ˈhɑːloʊd aʊt]
adj
having had the inside removed, leaving only an outer shell
adj
weakened or made ineffective, especially by the removal of important elements
Morpheme Breakdown
hollow
ed
out
hollow
having a hole or empty space
ed
past participle suffix
out
completive particle
Etymology
the term 'hollowed-out' is a modern participial adjective formed from the phrasal verb 'to hollow out'. its core, 'hollow', descends from old english holh, meaning a cavity or hole, which is related to the proto-germanic root hul- and further back to the pie root kel- meaning 'to cover, conceal', a semantic link to a covered or hidden space. the addition of the past participle suffix '-ed' and the particle 'out' transforms the static adjective into a dynamic descriptor of a completed process. this evolution reflects a logical shift from describing a state of emptiness to describing the action of creating that emptiness, now commonly used metaphorically to describe institutions or concepts stripped of their core substance.
Analysis
Structure: hollow (having a hole or empty space) + ed (past participle suffix) + out (completive particle)
- hollow: from old english holh (a hollow place, hole), functioning as the core adjective.
- ed: from old english -od/-ad, a past participle suffix forming participial adjectives.
- out: from old english ūt, an adverb used here as a completive particle emphasizing the thoroughness of the action.
Examples
the old tree was completely hollowed-out by insects and decay.
critics argue that years of outsourcing have left the company a hollowed-out shell of its former self.
the policy resulted in a hollowed-out public service, lacking experienced staff.