Stinging
/ˈstɪŋ.ɪŋ/noun
Causing a sharp, burning pain or a sharp emotional hurt.
Did you know?English sting is inherited from Proto-Germanic *stinganą, a verb tied to piercing and pricking, and its deep family includes words for needles, thorns, and stabbing motion across Germanic languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stengʰ-
“To prick, pierce, or be sharp”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stinganą
“To pierce, stab, or prick”
Old English
English
stingan
“To pierce, stab, or thrust”
Middle English
English
stingen
“To sting, prick, or wound sharply”
Modern English
English
stinging
“Causing a sharp pain, irritation, or emotional hurt”