Stroking
/ˈstroʊ.kɪŋ/noun
The act of rubbing or passing the hand gently over something; also, the present participle of stroke.
Did you know?English stroke traces back to the same ancient root that gave Greek strōnynai (“to spread, strew”), showing how words for force and motion can drift into softness over time.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*streg-
“to stroke, spread, or stretch”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*strōkōną
“to stroke, rub, or pass the hand over”
Old English
English
stracian
“to stroke, rub gently”
Middle English
English
stroken
“to stroke or caress”
Modern English
English
stroking
“rubbing or passing the hand gently over something”