arseling

A1R1S1E1L1I1N1G2

adverb

Backwards.

OriginMiddle English *arsling ← Old English earsling →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

arseling1

adverbarseling (not comparable)

alternative arselings · alternative arselong

  1. East AngliaScotlandUKdialectalespeciallynot comparableBackwards.

arseling2

nounarseling (plural arselings)

plural arselings · alternative US assling

  1. UKderogatoryrareslangA petty and obnoxious person.

    "Ah, the arselings Leif Kolskeggson and Sterkur death-in-the-eye," Svik said.

    2024, John Gwynne, The Fury of the Gods
    1 more example

    Defiant arselings is what you all are. You think you know best, gallivanting off with pirates?

    2023, Tricia Levenseller, Vengeance of the Pirate Queen

Origin

arseling · adverb

  1. Old Englishearsling“backwards, on the back”
  2. Middle English*arsling
  3. Englisharseling

From Middle English *arsling, from Old English earsling (“backwards, on the back”). Cognate with Dutch aarzeling, aarzelings, German ärschling, ärschlings. By surface analysis, arse + -ling.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

arseling · noun

From arse + -ling.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Salingersignalerseringalsanglierresignal
Cite this entry
APA

arseling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arseling

MLA

“arseling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arseling. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arseling,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arseling.

Source: arseling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.