Haunting
/ˈhɔːn.tɪŋ/noun
Troubling, eerie, or suggestive of a ghostly presence; also the present participle of haunt.
Did you know?The ghostly sense of haunting developed in English relatively late, reflecting the idea that spirits repeatedly return to places, rather than merely appearing once.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic (possible source)
Proto-Germanic
*haimaz
“Home or dwelling; this is a proposed connection, not a certain source of haunt.”
12th Century
Old French
hanter
“To frequent, inhabit, or associate with a place or person.”
13th Century
Anglo-French
haunter
“To frequent or visit habitually.”
14th Century
Middle English
haunten
“To visit regularly, inhabit, or occur repeatedly.”
16th Century
English
haunt
“A place frequently visited; later, to persistently trouble or recur in the mind.”
19th Century
English
haunting
“Ghostly or persistently disturbing, especially through an apparent supernatural presence.”
Modern English
English
haunting
“Eerie, unforgettable, or suggestive of a ghostly visitation.”