A small beast or animal; a creature with beast-like characteristics, often used affectionately or dismissively.
From 'beast' (Latin 'bestia') with the diminutive suffix '-ling' (Old English '-ling' indicating something small or lesser), similar to words like 'duckling' and 'underling'.
The '-ling' suffix originally marked something young or inferior—'underling,' 'hireling,' 'foundling'—so calling someone a 'beastling' was a way to simultaneously belittle them and compare them to animals, a verbal double-punch.
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