'antlerless' originates from the word 'antler' combined with the suffix '-less', where 'antler' refers to the branched horns on the head of an adult deer, and '-less' indicates the absence of something.

'antler' comes from the Old French word 'antoillier', which referred to the horn of a stag, and '-less' is a common English suffix used to denote the absence of something.

Initially, 'antlerless' simply meant 'without antlers', and this meaning has remained consistent over time.