Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “riddling” come from?

Riddling comes from English riddle, from Middle English redel, from Old English rǣdels, from Old French rider, from Proto-Germanic hrīdrą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to sift or separate.

riddling (English): present participle of riddle; Material removed by...

Definitions

  1. present participle of riddle; Material removed by...

Ancestry of “riddling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishredel—
2Middle Englishredels—
3Old Englishrǣdels—
4Proto-West Germanicrādislīadvice, consultation; supposition, guess,...
5Proto-West Germanicrādanto advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,...
6Proto-Germanicrēdanąto decide, advise
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₁dʰ-to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁-to think, reason; to arrange
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

Words derived from “riddling”

  • riddlingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →