Dizzying

/ˈdɪziɪŋ/ adjective, verb

Definition

Causing dizziness or confusion; making someone feel lightheaded or disoriented.

Etymology

From 'dizzy' plus the present participle suffix '-ing,' which comes from Old English '-ing' and '-ung.' The form works both as an adjective ('a dizzying height') and as a verb form ('the motion is dizzying').

Kelly Says

The '-ing' suffix is incredibly versatile in English—it can turn any verb into an adjective, which is why 'dizzying' works both to describe the action happening right now and as a permanent descriptor of how something feels! Few languages have this flexibility.

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