Standard Lemma guide

windless

adj · noun · 4 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.

  • /ˈwɪndləs/
  • homophone: windlass

1

adj

Meaning 1

Devoid of wind; calm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Out of breath.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Alternative form of windlass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, obsolete

Examples

  • 1724, Daniel Defoe (attributed), A General History of the Pirates, London: T. Warner, 2nd edition, Chapter, pp. 114-115, [...] the Boatswain immediately called to his Consorts, laid hold of the Captain, and made him fast to the Windless, and there pelted him with Glass Bottles, which cut him in a sad Manner [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

without or almost without wind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he prefers windless days for playing golf

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English wyndles, equivalent to wind + -less. Cognate with Old Norse vindlauss (“windless”).

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: безветрен (bezvetren) — devoid of wind
  • Dutch: windstil — devoid of wind
  • Georgian: უქარო (ukaro) — devoid of wind
  • German: windstill — devoid of wind
  • Ancient Greek: νήνεμος (nḗnemos) — devoid of wind
  • Macedonian: безветрен (bezvetren) — devoid of wind
  • Plautdietsch: wintstell — devoid of wind
  • Polish: bezwietrzny — devoid of wind
  • Turkish: rüzgarsız — devoid of wind