Where does “needling” come from?
Needling derives from Middle English -ing and Old English -ing, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₁- meaning to twist or turn, combined with the Proto-Indo-European suffix -elo- and -lós.
needling (English): A needy person; present participle of needle
Definitions
- A needy person; present participle of needle
Ancestry of “needling”, step by step
needling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English need
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | need | A requirement for something; something needed;... |
| 2 | Middle English | need | — |
| 3 | Old English | nēod | desire, eagerness, earnest; desire, longing; need |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *niudi | desire, eagerness |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | newdʰ- | seeking, need |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |