sleeveless

adjective

sleeve·​less ˈslēvlə̇s How to pronounce sleeveless (audio)
1
: having no sleeve
2
a
: profitless, futile
the errand they were on was sleevelessVirgilia Peterson
b
British : petty, frivolous
the sleeveless butterfly worldLlewelyn Powys
sleevelessness noun
plural -es

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sleveles, from Old English slīeflēas, from slīefe sleeve + -lēas -less

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Cite this Entry

“Sleeveless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleeveless. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.

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