odorless
Meaning
having no smell
Structure
Usage
carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas.
the laboratory requires the use of odorless solvents for the experiment.
the new air purifier claims to leave the room completely odorless.
Etymology
the word 'odorless' is a modern english compound formed by combining the noun 'odor' with the suffix '-less'. 'odor' entered english via old french from the latin odor, which itself derives from the pie root h₃ed- meaning 'to smell'. the suffix '-less' originates from old english -lēas, meaning 'free from' or 'without', which is related to the verb lēosan meaning 'to lose'. the literal construction 'smell-without' transparently conveys the modern meaning of lacking any perceptible scent, a straightforward application of a productive english word-forming pattern to a classical root.
Analysis
odor (from latin odor meaning 'smell, scent'), less (from old english -lēas meaning 'devoid of, free from', an adjective-forming suffix)