Where does “swaddling” come from?
Swaddling derives from Middle English swaþelynge, formed from Middle English swaþel with the suffix -ing, itself from Middle English -en and Old English -ung, ultimately tracing to Proto-Germanic jainaz and Proto-Indo-European i- and en.
swaddling (English): present participle of swaddle; The practice of...
Definitions
- present participle of swaddle; The practice of...
Ancestry of “swaddling”, step by step
swaddling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English swaddle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | swaddle | To bind with long narrow strips of cloth; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | swathlen | To swaddle; to bind a baby in strips of cloth; To... |
| 3 | Middle English | -en | Denotes the past participle form when attached to... |
| 4 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 5 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
via Middle English swaþelynge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | swaþelynge | swaddling |
| 2 | Middle English | -ynge | Alternative form of -ing |
| 3 | Old English | -ung | forming nouns from verbs, denoting verbal action... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -ungō | -ing, -ion. "Forms gerund nouns from verbs." |