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rootlessness

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

IPA: /ˈruːtləsnəs/

KK: /ˈrutləsnəs/

noun
Definition

The state of not having a permanent home or connection to a place, often leading to feelings of disconnection or instability.


Example

After moving from city to city for years, she felt a deep sense of rootlessness.


Conversation
Sloth A
Have you ever thought about the idea of rootlessness in life?
Sloth B
Yeah, it can be really tough for people who move around a lot.
Sloth A
Exactly! I think it makes it hard to feel settled anywhere.
Sloth B
Definitely, finding a sense of belonging can be a real challenge.

Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
displacement
alienation
uprooting
Antonyms
belonging
settledness
stability
Root Explanation

Rootlessness is formed from "root" (from Old English "wurt" meaning the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground) and "-less" (meaning without). The word describes a state of being without roots or a sense of belonging.

Memory Tip

Think of 'roots' as the part of a plant that keeps it grounded, and '-less' means without. So, rootlessness means being without a sense of grounding or belonging.

Visually Confused Words
bootlessness
toothlessness
frontlessness
artlessness
profitlessness
woodlessness
spotlessness
ruthlessness
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