[-ling] n suffix [ME, fr. OE; akin to OE -ing] 1: one connected with or having the quality of "hireling"
2: young, small, or inferior one "duckling"
[2]-ling or -lings adv suffix [ME -ling (fr. OE), -linges (fr. -ling + -es -s); akin to OHG -lingun -ling, OE lang long]: in (such) a direction or manner "sideling" "flatling"