Without a hearth; lacking a home, family fireplace, or the comfort and security that a home represents.
From 'hearth' (Old English 'hearþ') + '-less' (suffix meaning without). Historically, having a hearth was synonymous with having a home and family stability, so 'hearthless' meant to be homeless or displaced.
In centuries past, 'hearthless' was one of the worst conditions imaginable because the hearth was literally the center of survival—it provided heat, cooked food, and gathered the family together, making a hearthless person a tragic social outcast.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.