# headless

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈhɛdləs/ · frequency rank #28,576

## Definitions
1. Without a head (body part).
2. Without a head (body part).
3. Without a head (hardware or device feature).
4. Without leadership.
5. Not having a head morpheme or word.
6. Running without a graphical user interface; running without any attached output device (e.g., monitor) or input device (e.g., keyboard, mouse).
7. Without a head of foam.
8. Heedless.
9. Rimless, not having a cartridge case rim (flange).

## Etymology
From Middle English heedles, hevedles, from Old English hēafodlēas (“headless”), equivalent to head + -less. Cognate with Dutch hoofdloos (“headless”), Danish hovedløs (“headless”), Swedish huvudlös (“headless”), Icelandic höfuðlaus (“headless”). Piecewise doublet of chefless and chiefless.

## Easily confused with
- **helpless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headless-vs-helpless)
- **heartless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headless-vs-heartless)
- **headers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headers-vs-headless)
- **hapless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hapless-vs-headless)
- **headdress** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headdress-vs-headless)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ehadless`, `haedless`, `headdless`, `headelss`, `headles`, `headlless`, `headlses`, `healdess`, `hedaless`, `hheadless`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/headless