Where does “sprawling” come from?

Sprawling comes from Middle English spraulen, from Old English spreawlian, of uncertain ultimate origin.

sprawling (English): present participle of sprawl; That sprawls;...

Definitions

  1. present participle of sprawl; That sprawls;...

Ancestry of “sprawling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsprawlTo sit with the limbs spread out; To spread out...
2Middle Englishspraulento sprawl
3Old Englishspreawlianto sprawl
4Proto-Indo-Europeansper-to fidget, twitch; to push; to be quick; to...

Words derived from “sprawling”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sper- →Every word from Old English spreawlian →Every word from Middle English spraulen →