grundlös

Grundlös is a Swedish adjective formed from grund ("ground, basis") and lös ("free, without"), meaning without roots or foundation. The term is used to describe something that lacks a firm basis, origin, or anchorage and can be applied to both tangible situations and abstract concepts.

In figurative use, grundlös commonly refers to people who lack stable roots—such as family or home ties—as well as to ideas, plans, or institutions deemed lacking a solid grounding. The word carries a nuance of unsettledness or alienation and is frequent in literary, sociological, and critical discourse.

The noun form is grundlöshet, denoting rootlessness or lack of foundational grounding. The expression is used in Swedish texts to discuss themes such as migration, urban life, or identity, and it may appear in fiction and non-fiction alike.

Cross-language note: In German, the closest equivalents are grundlos (baseless) or wurzellos (rootless). The English-language counterparts are rootless or baseless, depending on context.