Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lacking” come from?

Lacking comes from English lack, a verb of unknown origin whose ultimate ancestry remains untraced in historical records.

lacking (English): present participle of lack; The absence of...

Definitions

  1. present participle of lack; The absence of...

Ancestry of “lacking”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlackA defect or failing; moral or spiritual...
2Middle Englishlack—
3Old English*læc—

Words derived from “lacking”

  • lackingness
Every word from Old English *læc →