'answerless' originates from English, formed from the noun 'answer' and the suffix '-less'. 'answer' ultimately comes from Old English 'andswaru' (or 'andswaru/andswarian' in related forms), where the elements conveyed the idea of a 'reply' or 'response', and the suffix '-less' comes from Old English 'lēas' meaning 'without'.

'answer' changed from Old English 'andswaru' to Middle English forms such as 'answere' and eventually became the modern English word 'answer'; the adjective 'answerless' was formed later by adding the productive negative suffix '-less' to create 'answerless'.

Initially, 'answer' meant 'a reply or statement in response'; over time that core meaning remained, and the derived adjective 'answerless' came to mean 'without a reply' or 'not answered'.