In medieval times, a young man of noble birth or a prince, especially in Anglo-Saxon England.
From Old English 'æðeling' (also spelled 'atheling'), derived from 'æðel' meaning noble, plus the diminutive suffix '-ing'. The term referred to the sons of kings and was used throughout Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
An 'adeling' wasn't guaranteed to become king—brothers had to fight for the throne, making medieval royal families more like competitive clans than modern royal succession lines!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.