Where does “failing” come from?
Failing derives from Middle English failen, from Anglo-Norman faillir, from Vulgar Latin fallire, from Latin fallo meaning to deceive or cause to fall short.
failing (English): present participle of fail; weakness; defect; if...
Definitions
- present participle of fail; weakness; defect; if...
Ancestry of “failing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fail | To be unsuccessful; Not to achieve a particular... |
| 2 | Middle English | failen | — |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | faillir | alternative infinitive of falir; to fail, err |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | fallire | — |
| 5 | Latin | fallō | to deceive, beguile, trick, cheat, delude, ensnare, disappoint |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰwel- | to bend; to lie, deceive |