Origin and history of useless

c. 1300, "act of employing (something) fact of being used or employed;" also "individual habit or practice; manner of living, way of using;" from Anglo-French and Old French us, hus "custom, practice, usage." This is from Latin usus "use, custom, practice, employment, skill, habit," from past-participle stem of uti "make use of, profit by, take advantage of" (see use (v.)).

By late 14c. in English as "purpose, function; benefit; consumption; established custom among a set of people." To be of no use "be worthless" is from late 14c.

word-forming element meaning "lacking, cannot be, does not," from Old English -leas, from leas "free (from), devoid (of), false, feigned," from Proto-Germanic *lausaz (cognates: Dutch -loos, German -los "-less," Old Norse lauss "loose, free, vacant, dissolute," Middle Dutch los, German los "loose, free," Gothic laus "empty, vain"), from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart." Related to loose and lease.