Where does “clerkling” come from?
clerkling (English) comes from English clerk, from Middle English clerc, from Old English clerc, from Latin clēricus, from Ancient Greek κληρικός, from Ancient Greek -ικός, from Ancient Greek -κός, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.
clerkling (English): A young or insignificant clerk
Definitions
- A young or insignificant clerk
Ancestry of “clerkling”, step by step
clerkling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English clerk
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clerk | One who occupationally works with records,... |
| 2 | Middle English | clerc | a clergyman, usually in Christianity |
| 3 | Old English | clerc | clergyman, clerk |
| 4 | Latin | clēricus | a priest, clergyman or clergywoman, cleric |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κληρικός | of or pertaining to clergy; clerical; clergyman |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |
via English Ling
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ling | Any of various codlike saltwater fish often used as food by humans, those of the genus Molva, in the family Lotidae |
| 2 | Middle English | ling | Any of various varieties of heather or broom |
| 3 | Old Norse | lyng | heather, ling |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lingwą | heather, ling |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰ- | light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,... |