Shelfing
/ˈʃɛlfɪŋ/noun
The act of placing something on a shelf or postponing, abandoning, or setting it aside.
Did you know?The underlying word shelf may descend from a Germanic root associated with splitting or forming a ledge, linking storage shelves to natural rock strata and continental shelves.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skelf-
“A split, cleft, or projecting ledge; reconstructed Germanic root associated with shelf-like formations.”
Old English
Old English
scylf
“A shelf, ledge, or rocky projection.”
Middle English
Middle English
shelf
“A shelf, ledge, or reef-like projection.”
16th Century
English
shelf
“A horizontal board or surface used for holding objects; also a ledge or submerged reef.”
19th Century
English
shelve
“To place on a shelf, later extended metaphorically to postponing or setting aside.”
Modern English
English
shelfing
“Placing something on a shelf, or figuratively postponing or abandoning it.”