Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wrangling” come from?

Wrangling derives from Middle English wranglen with the Old English suffix -ing, itself from Proto-Germanic -ungō, a nominalizing suffix forming abstract nouns and gerunds.

wrangling (English): contention; gainstriving; dispute; disputation;...

Definitions

  1. contention; gainstriving; dispute; disputation;...

Ancestry of “wrangling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-ingUsed to form gerunds, a type of verbal nouns,...
2Old English-ingForming nouns from verbs, indicating action,...
3Old English-tūn—
4Old Englishtūnenclosure, yard; place; dwelling
5Proto-West Germanictūnfence
6Proto-Germanictūnąfence; enclosure
7Gaulishdunumfort; hill, hillfort
8Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →