SKIP TO CONTENT

rootless

Other forms: rootlessly

Someone who's rootless doesn't have a permanent home or place to settle down. Your rootless cousin might save money for a ticket to India and then spend years backpacking around Asia.

Some plants are literally rootless, growing without a root system to absorb nutrients. Algae is one example of a rootless plant. Rootless far more commonly describes a person who wanders. An immigrant might feel a bit rootless the first few years in a new country, not quite at home yet but far from their original home. And if your family moves every couple of years, they're rootless too.

Definitions of rootless
  1. adjective
    wandering aimlessly without ties to a place or community
    “a rootless wanderer”
    synonyms: vagabond
    unsettled
    not settled or established
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘rootless'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family