Unfortunate or unlucky; having no luck or fortune. Describes someone who consistently experiences bad luck or misfortune through no fault of their own.
From Middle English, combining 'hap' (luck, chance) + '-less' (without). 'Hap' comes from Old Norse 'happ' meaning luck or fortune, so 'hapless' literally means 'without luck.'
Think 'hap-less' = 'happiness-less' — someone so unlucky they can't catch a break. Unlike 'careless' or 'reckless,' hapless people aren't causing their own problems; they're just unlucky.
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