'almond-less' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'almond' and the suffix '-less'. 'almond' ultimately comes from Latin and Old French, and '-less' comes from Old English 'lēas' where 'lēas' meant 'free from' or 'without'.

'almond' changed from Latin 'amygdala' (via Late Latin 'amandula') into Old French 'almande' and Middle English forms such as 'almaunde', eventually becoming modern English 'almond'. The suffix '-less' developed from Old English 'lēas' into Middle English '-les' and the modern English suffix '-less', and was combined with nouns to create adjectives meaning 'without X'.

The compound initially meant 'free from almonds' or 'not containing almonds'; over time it has been used in the same literal sense to describe foods or items that lack almonds.