Handless

/ˈhændləs/ adjective

Definition

Without hands; lacking hands or unable to use hands; helpless in terms of manual work.

Etymology

Combines 'hand' with the suffix '-less' (meaning 'without'), creating an adjective describing the absence or loss of hands, with the word appearing in literature as early as Middle English.

Kelly Says

The word 'handless' appears in classical literature like Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' and medieval texts, showing that writers used this word to explore what it means to lose manual ability—a theme that resonates across centuries.

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