# lifeless

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈlaɪfləs/ · frequency rank #21,564

## Definitions
1. inanimate; having no life
2. dead; having lost life
3. uninhabited, or incapable of supporting life
4. dull or lacking vitality

## Etymology
From Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedish livlös (“lifeless”), Icelandic líflaus (“lifeless”).

## Easily confused with
- **likeness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lifeless-vs-likeness)
- **loveless** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lifeless-vs-loveless)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ilfeless`, `lfieless`, `liefless`, `lifeelss`, `lifeles`, `lifelless`, `lifelses`, `liffeless`, `lifleess`, `llifeless`

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