First published 1911; not yet revised
sinlessadjective
Factsheet
What does the adjective sinless mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the adjective sinless. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
How common is the adjective sinless?
About 0.3occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 0.58 |
| 1760 | 0.52 |
| 1770 | 0.51 |
| 1780 | 0.53 |
| 1790 | 0.59 |
| 1800 | 0.68 |
| 1810 | 0.81 |
| 1820 | 0.96 |
| 1830 | 1.1 |
| 1840 | 1.1 |
| 1850 | 1.3 |
| 1860 | 1.3 |
| 1870 | 1.3 |
| 1880 | 1.1 |
| 1890 | 0.98 |
| 1900 | 0.76 |
| 1910 | 0.6 |
| 1920 | 0.47 |
| 1930 | 0.39 |
| 1940 | 0.34 |
| 1950 | 0.31 |
| 1960 | 0.3 |
| 1970 | 0.29 |
| 1980 | 0.29 |
| 1990 | 0.3 |
| 2000 | 0.32 |
| 2010 | 0.33 |
How is the adjective sinless pronounced?
British English
/ˈsɪnlɪs/
Where does the adjective sinless come from?
Earliest known use
Old English
The earliest known use of the adjective sinless is in the Old English period (pre-1150).
Nearby entries
- sink rate, n.1955–
- sink-room, n.1823–
- sink-soul, n.1688
- sink spout, n.1833–
- sinkstone, n.1432–
- sink tidy, n.1881–
- sink-top, n. & adj.1875–
- sink trap, n.1823–
- sink unit, n.1934–
- sinky, adj.1828–
- sinless, adj.Old English–
- sinlessness, n.1661–
- sin-money, n.1611
- sinnable, adj.1662–
- sinnableness, n.1863–
- sinner, n.c1325–
- sinner, v.1735–
- sinneress, n.1382–
- sinnerite, n.1964–
- sinnership, n.c1750–
- sinnet, n.1611–
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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Pronunciation
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Forms
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Frequency
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Compounds & derived words
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Entry history for sinless, adj.
sinless, adj. was first published in 1911; not yet revised.
sinless, adj. was last modified in July 2023.
Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:
- corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into sinless, adj. in July 2023.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1911)
OED Second Edition (1989)
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Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .
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Citation details
Factsheet for sinless, adj.
Browse entry
Nearby entries
- sink rate, n.1955–
- sink-room, n.1823–
- sink-soul, n.1688
- sink spout, n.1833–
- sinkstone, n.1432–
- sink tidy, n.1881–
- sink-top, n. & adj.1875–
- sink trap, n.1823–
- sink unit, n.1934–
- sinky, adj.1828–
- sinless, adj.Old English–
- sinlessness, n.1661–
- sin-money, n.1611
- sinnable, adj.1662–
- sinnableness, n.1863–
- sinner, n.c1325–
- sinner, v.1735–
- sinneress, n.1382–
- sinnerite, n.1964–
- sinnership, n.c1750–
- sinnet, n.1611–
