Where does “startling” come from?

Startling comes from Middle English startlen, derived from Old English steartlian, a verb of uncertain origin and meaning.

startling (English): Present participle and gerund of startle; Likely...

Definitions

  1. Present participle and gerund of startle; Likely...

Ancestry of “startling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstartleTo move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling...
2Middle Englishstartlen—
3Old Englishsteartlianto kick or struggle; to caper; to react with fear

Words derived from “startling”

Every word from Old English steartlian →Every word from Middle English startlen →Every word from English startle →
startling — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer