hookless

Hookless is an adjective describing something that has no hook or uses no hook as part of its fastening system. Its best-established use is in “hookless bra,” referring to a bra that is secured by a smooth, adjustable band rather than rows of traditional metal hooks and eyes. Such designs are often marketed for easy dressing, comfort, and use during exercise, although the term itself chiefly states how the garment fastens rather than guaranteeing those qualities. Outside clothing, hookless can describe any object lacking a hook-shaped component, but this broader use is less common. The word is formed from hook and the suffix -less, meaning “without” or “lacking.” It should not be confused with hooked: hookless indicates the absence of a hook, while hooked indicates the presence of one or attachment by a hook.

Having no hook or hook-like fastening component. In clothing, it may describe a bra or other garment that secures itself without hooks.

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Etymology of hookless

Hookless was formed in English by combining hook with the productive suffix -less, meaning “without” or “lacking.” Hook itself comes from Old English hōc, a word for a curved fastening device or projecting catch. The combined adjective became particularly common in descriptions of garments after hook-and-loop closures and hookless bra designs gained prominence in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

How hookless is actually used

The word is most common in modern clothing descriptions, especially for bras and other garments intended to be put on without fastening hooks. It is also used more generally for objects or components that have no hook.

Easily confused with hookless

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Words and phrases paired with hookless

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