less

Meanings

Adverb

• Used for forming comparatives of adjectives.
• To a smaller extent or degree.

Verb

• To make less; to lessen.

Adjective

• Lesser; smaller.

Noun

• A smaller amount or quantity.

Related

Opposite words

• more
• plus

Origin

• Adverb From Middle English les, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English lǣs, from Proto-Germanic *laisiz, from Proto-Indo-European *leys-. Cognate with Old Frisian lēs, Old Saxon lēs.
• Determiner and preposition from Middle English lees, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English lǣssa, from Proto-Germanic *laisizan-, from Proto-Germanic *laisiz (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian lessa.
• Verb from Middle English lessen, from the determiner.
• Noun from Middle English lesse, from the determiner.
• From Middle English lesse, les, from Old English lǣs, as in þȳ lǣs þe.