Meaning and usage of the word remorseless in English

The word "remorseless" originates from the Middle English word "remourles," which combined the Old French words "remou" and "less" to form a new concept. "Remou," which ultimately derived from the Latin "movere," meant "moving" or "stirring." "Less," also derived from Latin, meant "lacking" or "wanting." In Old French, "remou" could refer to waves that were still moving, even if they didn't have a visible cause or source, or to movement that was unsettled or turbulent. The prefix "re-," meaning "again" or "back," was added to emphasize the persistence or recurrence of this movement. When "remou" was combined with "less" in Middle English, the result was "remourles," a compound word that conveyed the idea of movement or stirring that was entirely lacking in anything that would mitigate or remedy it, such as remorse or repentance. The use of "remorseless" as an adjective to describe actions or decisions that lack remorse, regret, or compassion for their impact on others, became widespread in the English language by the 16th century, cementing the word's meaning and application in modern English.