Where does “rubbing” come from?
Rubbing derives from Middle English rubbing, formed from the verb rub plus the Old English suffix -ing, which developed from Proto-Germanic -ungō, denoting the action or process of an activity.
rubbing (English): An impression of an embossed or incised surface...
Definitions
- An impression of an embossed or incised surface...
Ancestry of “rubbing”, step by step
rubbing traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English rub
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | rub | An act of rubbing; A difficulty or problem; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | rubben | To rub; to move back and forwards on a surface |
| 3 | Saterland Frisian | rubben | — |
via Middle English rubbinge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rubbinge | — |