Futilous

/ˈfjuːtɪləs/ adjective

Definition

Variant or archaic form of futile; characterized by futility or uselessness.

Etymology

An older English form using the Latin root 'futilis' with the English suffix '-ous,' a pattern abandoned in favor of the simpler 'futile.'

Kelly Says

Futilous is a dead adjective—it was genuinely used in older English but lost out to the simpler 'futile,' showing how languages naturally prune words that become redundant, leaving behind fossils like this one.

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