Standard Lemma guide

frictionless

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F R IH1 K SH AH0 N L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to lack of friction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • It would last many years because of its frictionless bearings.
  • A hard border is a real possibility, and a frictionless border is almost an oxymoron.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a transaction or trade, without tariffs and non-tariff barriers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: business, finance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

lacking all friction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a perpetual motion machine would have to be frictionless

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English friction Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English frictionless From friction + -less.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kitkaton — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • German: reibungslos — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • Italian: senza attrito — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • Italian: senza intoppi — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • Italian: senza problemi — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • Italian: scorrevole — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • Māori: wakukore — of or pertaining to lack of friction
  • Swedish: friktionsfri — of or pertaining to lack of friction