Bookless

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Lacking physical books or not having any books present ; describing an approach or environment that does not use or depend on books
2. Being without any books in possession or available ; relating to something that operates or exists without the use of books
3. Having no books attached or accessible ; characterized by the absence or nonuse of books in methods or settings

Etymology: "Bookless" is a plain compound: the noun "book" with the suffix "-less," which comes from Old English "-lēas," meaning "without." Adding "-less" to a noun produces an adjective meaning "lacking that thing," as in "hopeless" or "careless," so "bookless" describes a place, person or arrangement that has no books in it. The word's own history is therefore transparent: no borrowing, no sound change, and no shift in meaning, just the two parts joined together. Its sense follows directly from the components, covering both literal absence of books and, in the second sense, activity carried out without books, such as a bookless system of record-keeping.

Synonyms: unwritten, untold, unpublished, blank, empty

Antonyms: booked, recorded, documented, written, published