Darkyn focused his dark, soulless gaze on him for the first time since arriving. His pointed teeth, soulless eyes and rumbling growl gave away the otherwise human-looking creature as a demon. Distinguishing soul from spirit is a matter best left to theologians. The soulless, ancient intelligence there was as fathomless as the night sky. Soul-searching (n.) is attested from 1871, from the phrase used as a present-participle adjective (1610s). 25 synonyms for soulless: characterless, dull, bland, mundane, ordinary, grey, commonplace, dreary. As a synonym for 'person, individual, human being' (as in every living soul) it dates from early 14c. Meaning 'spirit of a deceased person' is attested in Old English from 971. senseless, obtuse, lazy, indifferent, immobile, icy, dead to, affectless, unconscious, uncharitable, sluggish, ruthless, untouchable, inhuman. To others he is nothing short of a ruthless builder of wealth and prestige with little concern for those whom he walks over to get what he wants.

Klein explains this as 'from the lake,' as a dwelling-place of souls in ancient northern Europe. Attend a party, and you will discover that those young men who are the most popular are those who are the most soulless. Sometimes said to mean originally 'coming from or belonging to the sea,' because that was supposed to be the stopping place of the soul before birth or after death if so, it would be from Proto-Germanic *saiwaz (see sea).

'A substantial entity believed to be that in each person which lives, feels, thinks and wills', Old English sawol 'spiritual and emotional part of a person, animate existence life, living being,' from Proto-Germanic *saiwalō (source also of Old Saxon seola, Old Norse sala, Old Frisian sele, Middle Dutch siele, Dutch ziel, Old High German seula, German Seele, Gothic saiwala), of uncertain origin.

Synonyms for soulless