windless
Meaning
without wind; calm and still.
Structure
Usage
the morning was cold and windless, with a heavy frost on the ground.
they sailed across the windless sea, their progress slow and dependent on the oars.
the flag hung limp on the windless day.
Etymology
The word "windless" is a straightforward compound formed within English from its Germanic roots. The first element, "wind," descends from Proto-Germanic windaz, which in turn derives from the proto-indo-European root h₂wéh₁n̥ts, meaning "blowing" or "wind." The suffix "-less" originates from Old English -lēas, meaning "devoid of" or "free from," itself from a Germanic root signifying "loss." The literal combination, "devoid of wind," has remained semantically transparent from its Old English formation to its modern use describing calm, still atmospheric conditions.
Analysis
wind (old english, noun, meaning "air in motion") + less (old english, suffix, meaning "without, lacking")