Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “creeping” come from?

Creeping comes from Middle English crepynge, formed from the Middle English verb crepe with the suffix -ing, which derives from Old English -ing and -ung, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root ger-.

creeping (English): present participle of creep; The act of something...

Definitions

  1. present participle of creep; The act of something...

Ancestry of “creeping”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishcrepyngeCreeping; slithering, moving stealthily or low to...
2Middle EnglishcrepenTo move in a subtle or secretive way; To enter or...
3Old Englishcrēopanto creep, crawl
4Proto-West Germanic*kreupan—
5Proto-Germanickreupanąto twist, to creep
6Proto-Indo-Europeanger-to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...

Words derived from “creeping”

  • creepingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ger- →