English word origin

Etymology of fling

From Middle English fling, from the verb (see below). Compare Icelandic flengur (“a fast sprint”).

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

An act of throwing, often violently. · An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance. · An act or period of unrestrained indulgence, enthusiasm, or both. · A short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English fling, from the verb (see below). Compare Icelandic flengur (“a fast sprint”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionflingenm
Cognate mentionflenguris · a fast sprint

This page abbreviates 5 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "3": "fling"
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      "expansion": "Middle English fling"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
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        "2": "flengur",
        "t": "a fast sprint"
      },
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    }
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      "fling#Middle_English"
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      "flengur#Icelandic"
    ]
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        "An act of throwing, often violently.",
        "An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance.",
        "An act or period of unrestrained indulgence, enthusiasm, or both.",
        "A short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship."
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

verb

To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl. · To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash. · To throw; to wince; to flounce. · To utter abusive language; to sneer.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English flyngen, from Old Norse flengja (“to whip”), from Proto-Germanic *flangijaną (“to beat, whip”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂k- (“to beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂k-, *pleh₂g- (“to beat”). Cognate with Icelandic flengja (“to spank”), Norwegian flengja (“to rip, tear, or fling open”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionflyngenenm
Derivation mentionflengjanon · to whip
Derivation mention*flangijanągem-pro · to beat, whip
Derivation mention*pleh₂k-ine-pro · to beat
Derivation mention*pel-ine-pro
Cognate mentionflengjais · to spank
Cognate mentionflengjano · to rip, tear, or fling open

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "1": "en",
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        "3": "flyngen"
      },
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    },
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        "2": "non",
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      },
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    },
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    },
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      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic flengja (“to spank”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "no",
        "2": "flengja",
        "t": "to rip, tear, or fling open"
      },
      "expansion": "Norwegian flengja (“to rip, tear, or fling open”)"
    }
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      "flyngen#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "flengja",
      "flengja#Old_Norse"
    ],
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      "*flangijaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/flangijaną"
    ],
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      "*pleh₂k-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pleh₂k-"
    ],
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      "flengja#Norwegian"
    ]
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for fling →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Zmxpbmc