-ling
/lɪŋ/suffix
1
- forming nouns from nouns (such as hireling, sapling)加在名词后构成另一名词, 如 hireling, sapling
2
- forming nouns from adjectives and adverbs (such as darling, sibling, underling)［加在形容词和副词后构成名词, 如 darling, sibling, underling］。
3
- forming diminutive words: gosling构成表示“小”的词, 如 gosling。
3.1
- often with depreciatory reference所指对象多含贬义, 如 princeling。
词源
Old English; sense 3 from Old Norse.