Little Things, Big Meanings (Part Two)

Welcome to A Comprehensive Glossary of Words with the Suffix -ling. This collection delves into the fascinating world of diminutive and descriptive terms ending in "-ling," spanning various categories such as people and relationships, plants and nature, objects and concepts, and fantasy or poetic uses. From familiar terms like "sibling" and "seedling" to rare and whimsical words like "ghostling" and "dreamling," this glossary offers a rich exploration of language. Whether you're a linguist, a writer, or simply a lover of words, you will find this compilation both enlightening and enjoyable. Dive in and discover the nuanced meanings and charming connotations of these "-ling" words!

1. People & Relationships

• Sibling – brother or sister

• Underling – subordinate

• Hireling – one who works only for pay

• Yearling – one-year-old (especially animal or child)

• Earthling – inhabitant of Earth

• Changeling – child swapped by fairies (mythical), or metaphorically, someone who has changed

• Foundling – abandoned infant

• Weakling – physically weak person

• Sapling – can also refer to a young person (figurative use)

• Hatchling – just-hatched bird or reptile

• Nestling – a young bird still in the nest

2. Plants & Nature

• Seedling – young plant from a seed

• Sapling – young tree

• Duckling – baby duck

• Gosling – baby goose

• Fledgling – young bird learning to fly; also used metaphorically

• Fishling – small or young fish (rare)

• Beetleling – very small beetle (rare/poetic)

3. Objects & Concepts

• Starling – type of bird, though etymologically not a diminutive

• Germling – young germinating plant or fungus

• Suckling – infant still breastfeeding

• Ghostling – little ghost (literary/rare)

• Witling – person with little wit/intelligence (archaic)

• Sportling – one fond of games or sports (archaic)

• Dwarfing – not a "ling" word, but similar in form (not included)

4. Fantasy / Poetic / Rare

• Halfling – fantasy term for a small humanoid (Tolkien, D&D)

• Hobling – dialectal or poetic variant of “hobgoblin”

• Elfling – small elf (fantasy/poetic)

• Frostling – small creature of frost (fantasy use)

• Dreamling – child or creature of dreams (poetic)