hurting
/ˈhɜːrtɪŋ/
verb
Origin
Old French
hurter — to knock, clash, or collide
Overview
Meaning Now
- The present participle of hurt, meaning to cause physical pain, injury, or emotional distress.
- Experiencing pain or suffering, whether physical or psychological.
Language path
Old French → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
hurten
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The verb 'hurt' entered English from the Old French 'hurter', which originally meant to strike or collide. Over time, the meaning shifted from the act of colliding to the result of that collision: pain or damage. This is a common pattern in etymology where a physical verb of action evolves into a verb of sensation.
Evolution
- 12th century, Old French
hurter
“to knock against or collide with”
- 13th century, Middle English
hurten
“to strike, hit, or push”
- 15th century, Middle English
hurting
“causing pain or physical injury”
Transition from meaning 'to collide' to 'to cause injury'
- Modern English
hurting
“experiencing or causing pain”
Connections
Word parts
hurt
root
pain or injury
-ing
suffix
present participle marker
Related across languages
French
heurter
to strike or collide
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.