The process of a baby's first teeth breaking through the gums. Used metaphorically to describe early difficulties in any new process or system.
From Old English tōþ (tooth) plus the suffix -ing, creating the gerund form. The word has been used since Middle English to describe the emergence of teeth, and by the 19th century developed the figurative meaning of 'experiencing initial difficulties.'
Babies typically start teething around 6 months, but the process actually begins in the womb when tooth buds form! The phrase 'teething problems' for early difficulties in new systems comes from the obvious discomfort babies experience - it's a perfect metaphor since both involve growing pains.
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