A person or animal that is physically or mentally weak or feeble.
From Middle English 'weak' (from Old English 'wac') plus the diminutive suffix '-ling' meaning 'little' or 'person.' The suffix '-ling' was originally used for offspring or younger versions but came to carry a slightly insulting tone.
The suffix '-ling' appears in 'duckling,' 'seedling,' and 'yearling'—it originally just meant 'young' or 'small,' but added a dismissive tone when attached to qualities like 'weak'!
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