Lacking plunder, treasure, or valuable items that could be seized or obtained. It describes a situation where there's nothing worth taking or gaining.
From 'booty' (from Dutch 'buit' via Middle Low German, meaning 'plunder') + the suffix '-less' (Old English '-leas', meaning 'without'). The term emerged in English during the age of piracy when booty (treasure) was a common concept.
The word 'booty' has a wild history—it comes from Dutch pirates' vocabulary, and it literally meant 'plunder'! When pirates raided a ship and found nothing valuable, they'd say the ship was 'bootyless,' which must have been incredibly disappointing to them.
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