Driverless

/ˈdraɪvərləs/ adjective

Definition

Without a driver; operated by automatic or computer control rather than a person.

Etymology

From 'driver' (one who drives, from Old English 'drifan' + '-er') plus '-less', the suffix meaning 'without'. Modern term for autonomous vehicles.

Kelly Says

The rise of 'driverless' cars shows how '-less' (meaning 'without') helped English quickly name something that didn't exist even 30 years ago—proving that English's suffix system lets us talk about the future.

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