'helplessness' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'helpan,' where 'help' meant 'to assist' and the suffix '-less' indicated 'without.'

'helpan' transformed into the Middle English word 'helpen,' and eventually became the modern English word 'help,' with 'helplessness' forming as a noun.

Initially, it meant 'without help or assistance,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.