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in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology 1
From Middle English -ling, from Old English -ling, from Proto-West Germanic *-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
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):
(Quality):
Translations
Diminutive
- Breton: -ig (br) f
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 小 (zh) (xiǎo-), 崽 (zh) (-zǎi), -子 (zh) (-zi)
- Dutch: -je (nl), -pje (nl), -tje (nl), -ling (nl)
- Estonian: -kene sg, -lane (et) sg
- Finnish: -nen (fi), -lainen (fi)
- French: -et (fr) m, -ette (fr) f, -in (fr) m, -ine (fr) f
- Galician: -iño m, iña f
- German: -chen (de), -lein (de), -erl (de) (south German)
- Interlingua: -etto m or n, -etta f or n
- Irish: -án m, -ín m, -óg f
- Italian: -ino (it) m, -ina (it) f, -etto m, -etta f, -ello m, -ella f
- Japanese: 子 (ja) (こ, ko-)
- Middle English: -ling, -ing
- Polish: -ę (pl) n
- Portuguese: -inho (pt)
- Romanian: -el (ro), -șor, -uț, -uș, -aș (ro)
- Russian: -ёнок m (-jónok), -о́нок (ru) m (-ónok), -ок (ru) (-ok), -ёк (ru) (-jók)
- Scottish Gaelic: -an m, -ag f
- Spanish: -ito (es) m, -ita (es) f, -illo (es) m, -illa (es) f
- Swedish: -is (sv)
- Ukrainian: -еня́ (-enjá), -о́чок (-óčok), -е́нько (-énʹko)
- Welsh: -ig m or f, -cyn m, -os m pl or f pl
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Etymology 2
From Middle English -ling, from Old English -ling, -linga, -lunga (adverbial suffix). Compare -long.
Alternative forms
Suffix
-ling
- (non-productive) An adverbial suffix denoting manner, direction or position.
Derived terms
See also
References
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
Anagrams
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
German
Etymology
From Middle High German -linc, from Old High German -ling, from Proto-West Germanic *-ling.
Pronunciation
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 ”) 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.
- Suffix forming the names of many mushrooms.
Derived terms
Icelandic
Suffix
-ling
- indefinite accusative singular of -lingur
Middle English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Old English -ling (nominal suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-ling, from Proto-Germanic *-ilingaz; equivalent to -el + -ing.
Alternative forms
Suffix
-ling
- suffix used in forming personal nouns
- suffix forming diminutives
Derived terms
Descendants
References
Etymology 2
From Old English -ling (adverbial suffix).
Suffix
-ling
- An adverbial suffix denoting direction, state or position.
Descendants
References
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From German -ling.
Suffix
-ling
- denoting diminutive
Old English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From alteration of suffixal use of Old English lang (“long”).
Suffix
-ling
- adverbial suffix denoting direction, state or position
- hinderling ― backwards
Descendants
Etymology 2
From Proto-West Germanic *-ling, from Proto-Germanic *-ilingaz.
Alternative forms
Suffix
-ling m
- 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
Declension of -ling (strong a-stem)
Derived terms
Descendants