less: [OE] In origin, less is a comparative form. It goes back ultimately to Indo-European *loiso- ‘small’, which in prehistoric Germanic had the comparative suffix added to it to produce *laisiz – whence English less. It is not found in any of the other modern Germanic languages. => least
less
Old English l?s (adv.), l?ssa (adj.), comparative of l?s "small;" from Proto-Germanic *lais-izo "smaller" (cognates: Old Saxon, Old Frisian les "less;" Middle Dutch lise "soft, gentle," German leise "soft"), from PIE root *leis- (2) "small" (cognates: Lithuanian liesas "thin"). Formerly also "younger," as a translation of Latin minor, a sense now obsolete except in James the Less. Used as a comparative of little, but not related to it. The noun is Old English l?sse.
例文
1. The affexes "un-"and "- less "are often used make negative words,such as unhappy or careless.
接辞un-、- less は、unhappyやcareless.
2.These files have been zipped up to take up less disk space.
これらのドキュメントは、ディスクスペースを節約するために圧縮されています。/
3.He is lined up for no less than four US television interviews.
最大4つの米テレビメディアが番組に出演してインタビューに応じるように招待した。
4.Other amenities, less commonly available,include a library and exercise room.
図書館やジムなど、あまりない施設もあります。
5. His team-mates opened hotel windows, shouting "Jump!「and somewhat less printable banter.