lifeless

the word "lifeless" is a transparent compound formed within english from its native germanic elements. the first element, "life," descends from the old english "līf," which is of germanic origin and related to the concept of existence and vitality. the second element, "-less," is an old english suffix "-lēas," meaning "devoid of" or "free from," which was used to form adjectives from nouns. the straightforward combination of these two morphemes creates a word whose literal meaning, "devoid of life," logically extends to its figurative senses describing a lack of energy or animation, perfectly illustrating the productive nature of the "-less" suffix in english word formation.

Structure: life + less life (old english, noun: the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter) + less (old english, adjective-forming suffix: without, free from)