Stalking
/ˈstɔː.kɪŋ/noun
The act of pursuing or following someone or something stealthily and persistently.
Did you know?The core Germanic root behind *stalk* is tied to stealthy, creeping movement, which is why the word naturally picked up the sense of secret pursuit long before modern law gave it a darker meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stel-
“to put, place; to steal, move stealthily”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stalkaz
“a stalk, stem; something that stands upright”
Old English
OE
stælcan / stælcan?
“to walk stealthily; to move in a creeping, cautious way”
Middle English
ME
stalken
“to move quietly or stealthily, especially in hunting”
Modern English
English
stalking
“pursuing or following someone with stealth and persistence”