Etymology

underling

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Today it means: A subordinate, or person of lesser rank or authority. Full definition →

Middle English underling ← Old English underling
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The story

  1. Old English · inherited fromunderling
  2. Middle English · inherited fromunderling
  3. English todayunderling

From Middle English underling, from Old English underling. By surface analysis, under + -ling.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.