# headless

/ˈhɛdɫəs/ (US) · /hˈɛdləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/headless
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. without a physical head

adjective · CEFR B2

missing a head, like a statue or a body.

For teachers: lacking a physical head; often used in historical or artistic contexts.

- The museum displayed a headless statue from the Roman era.
- The headless torso of the marble sculpture suggests it was damaged during the city's fall centuries ago.

### 2. without a leader

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describing a group or organization that does not have a leader.

For teachers: lacking a leader, chief, or governing head.

- The company was headless for months after the CEO suddenly resigned.
- The rebellion remained a headless movement, failing to coordinate its efforts due to the lack of a central authority.

### 3. computing

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

a computer or software that works without a screen or keyboard.

For teachers: referring to a computer system or software application that operates without a graphical user interface or attached peripheral devices.

- We set up a headless server in the basement to store all our files.
- Running the browser in headless mode allows developers to perform automated testing without the overhead of a visual interface.

### 4. linguistics

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

a phrase that does not have a main word that gives it its meaning.

For teachers: describing a construction or phrase that lacks a head morpheme or word that determines its grammatical category.

- The teacher explained how a headless phrase works in this sentence.
- In theoretical linguistics, the analysis of headless relative clauses remains a subject of significant debate regarding syntactic structure.

### 5. without foam

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

a glass of beer or another drink that has no bubbles or foam on top.

For teachers: lacking a head of foam, typically in reference to carbonated beverages like beer.

- He complained to the bartender when he was served a headless pint of ale.
- The beer was poured too slowly, resulting in a headless glass that looked unappealing to the customer.

## Examples

- The headless statue stood in the center of the park.
- The IT department set up a headless server in the basement that we manage entirely through remote commands.
- The organization became effectively headless after the sudden resignation of the board, leaving middle management to navigate the crisis without any clear strategic direction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.