Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “whirling” come from?

Whirling derives from Middle English whirlen, from Middle English whervelen, from Old English hweorflian, from Old English hweorfan meaning "to turn or twist," from Proto-Germanic hwerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European kʷerp-.

whirling (English): present participle of whirl; The action of the...

Definitions

  1. present participle of whirl; The action of the...

Ancestry of “whirling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhirlTo rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly; To have...
2Middle Englishwhirlen—
3Middle Englishwhervelen—
4Old Englishhweorflian—
5Old Englishhweorfanto turn, change; to depart, go, proceed; to...
6Proto-Germanichwerbanąto turn; turn around; to move; move about; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷerp-to turn; to whirl, to twist

Words derived from “whirling”

  • whirlingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷerp- →