-ling
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English -ling, from Old English -ling, from Proto-Germanic *-lingaz, a nominal suffix, probably composed of Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (agent/instrumental/diminutive suffix) + Proto-Germanic *-ingaz (patronymic suffix). Akin to Dutch -ling, German -ling, Icelandic -lingur, Gothic -𐌻𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍃 (-liggs). More at -le, -ing.
Alternative forms
- -lyng (obsolete)
- -lin (dialectal)
Suffix
-ling
- small, immature, miniature
- follower or resident
Usage notes
Words ending in -ing derived from a root or stem terminating in -l or -le, such as dazzling, have usually only an accidental resemblance, although sometimes there is a connection, as in sidling, which derives from Middle English in this form, and which is also a present participle form of the modern English verb to sidle, which in itself is a back-formation from sidling.
Derived terms
(Diminutive):
- buckling
- castling
- darling
- daughterling
- doeling
- duckling
- earthling
- fatling
- fingerling
- fledgling
- fondling
- goatling
- godling
- gosling
- lambling
- lordling
- pigling
- princeling
- puffling
- spiderling
- sportling
- swanling
- vetchling
(Quality):
- cageling
- changeling
- darkling
- earthling
- endling
- firstling
- foundling
- hatchling
- hireling
- kindling
- nestling
- overling
- ridgeling
- sapling
- seedling
- shaveling
- starveling
- stripling
- suckling
- underling
- weakling
- wildling
- witling
- wordling
- yearling
- youngling
Translations
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Etymology 2
From Middle English -ling, from Old English -ling, -linga, -lunga (adverbial suffix). Compare -long.
Alternative forms
- -lings
- -lin (dialectal)
Suffix
-ling
- An adverbial suffix denoting manner, direction or position.
Derived terms
- darkling
- flatling
- headling
- sideling
- sunderling
See also
- -en
- -le
- -ock
References
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
Anagrams
- lign-
Dutch
Etymology
From a rebracketing of nouns with an -ing suffix. See above (English).
Suffix
-ling m
- A suffix that describes a person (or other creature) in terms of a place of origin or a quality, as defined by the root to which it is added.
Derived terms
- -lings - adverbs
- -linge f
- onderling - adjective
- plotseling - adjective
- aardling m
- achtling m
- balling m
- banneling m
- beginneling m
- bekeerling m
- biechteling m
- boeteling m
- bokking m, from *bokkeling
- boreling m
- Bruggeling m
- dopeling m
- dorpeling m
- drenkeling m
- drieling m
- edeling m
- eenling m
- eersteling m
- eeuweling m
- ellendeling m
- engerling m
- excentriekeling m
- feesteling m
- hoveling m
- hoofdstedeling m
- huurling m
- inboorling m
- jaarling m
- jongeling m
- kamerling m
- kloosterling m
- krakeling m
- kwekeling m
- lamlendeling m
- lammeling m
- leerling m
- lieveling m
- loteling m
- machtswellusteling m
- medeleerling m
- naarling m
- negenling m
- nestling m
- noorderling m
- oosterling m
- opstandeling m
- smekeling m
- stedeling m
- sterveling m
- stommeling m
- tienling m
- tweeling m
- verstekeling m
- vierling m
- vijfling m
- vluchteling m
- volgeling m
- vondeling m
- vormeling m
- vreemdeling m
- westerling m
- wijdeling m
- wildeling m
- woesteling m
- zaailing m
- zendeling m
- zesling m
- zonderling m
- zuiderling m
- zuigeling m
- zwakkeling m
German
Etymology
From Middle High German -linc, from Old High German -ling, from Proto-West Germanic *-ling.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [lɪŋ]
Audio (file)
Suffix
-ling m (genitive -linges or -lings, plural -linge)
- Indicates possession of or connection with a quality or property, such as Schwächling (“weakling”) from schwach (“weak”) or Frühling (“the season Spring [which comes early]”) from früh (“early”).
- A modifier of nouns, meaning a follower or resident of what is denoted by the stem form, such as Häftling from Haft.
Derived terms
Icelandic
Suffix
-ling
- indefinite accusative singular of -lingur
Middle English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /-linɡ/
Etymology 1
From Old English -ling (nominal suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-ling, from Proto-Germanic *-ilingaz; equivalent to -el + -ing.
Alternative forms
- -linge, -lingge, -lyng, -lynge
Suffix
-ling
- suffix used in forming personal nouns
- suffix forming diminutives
Derived terms
Descendants
- English: -ling
- Scots: -ling, -lin
References
- “-ling, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 2
From Old English -ling (adverbial suffix).
Suffix
-ling
- An adverbial suffix denoting direction, state or position.
Descendants
- English: -ling, -long (as in headlong)
References
- “-ling(e, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From German -ling.
Suffix
-ling
- denoting diminutive
Old English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /linɡ/, [liŋɡ]
Etymology 1
From alteration of suffixal use of Old English lang (“long”).
Suffix
-ling
- adverbial suffix denoting direction, state or position
- hinderling ― backwards
Descendants
- Middle English: -ling
- English: -ling, -long (as in headlong)
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *-ilingaz.
Alternative forms
- -linc
Suffix
-ling
- suffix used in forming personal nouns
- dīerling ― favorite, darling
- rǣpling ― prisoner
- suffix forming diminutives
- stærling ― starling
- dynasty, lineage
- Icling ("dynasty of Icel" or "House of Icel"); Ætheling (House of Ethel)
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | -ling | -lingas |
| accusative | -ling | -lingas |
| genitive | -linges | -linga |
| dative | -linge | -lingum |
Derived terms
Descendants
- Middle English: -ling
- English: -ling