tilling
/ˈtɪlɪŋ/
noun
Origin
Old English
tilian — to work, cultivate, or strive for
Overview
Meaning Now
- The process or action of preparing land for crops, especially by ploughing or harrowing.
- The act of turning over soil to aerate it and eliminate weeds.
Literal older meaning
The act of working or cultivating the soil
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
tilian
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The term originates from a Germanic root linked to 'aiming' or 'attaining'. In an agricultural sense, it reflects the deliberate effort required to 'attain' a harvest through the physical labor of turning soil. By the medieval period, it became firmly established as the primary word for the ploughman's labor.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*tiljanan
“to strive, aim, or cultivate”
Base meaning of aiming at or attaining something
- Old English
tilian
“to work the soil, to provide, to strive”
Transition from general striving to agricultural labor
- Middle English
tillen
“to plough or cultivate”
Standardization of agricultural sense
- Modern English
tilling
“the act of preparing ground”
Gerundial form established
Connections
Word parts
till
root
to cultivate
-ing
suffix
action or process
Related across languages
Dutch
telen
to cultivate or breed
German
zielen
to aim (cognate in the 'striving' sense)
Explore next
Related to tilling
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.