inkling
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inkling¹
- /ˈɪŋklɪŋ/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ɪŋklɪŋ
Where it comes from
From Middle English ningkiling, nyngkiling (“hint, slight indication; mention, whisper”), and then either:
* possibly a variant of nikking, nyckyng (“hint, slight indication; mention, whisper”), possibly from nikken (“to mark (a text) for correction (?)”) + -ing, -inge (suffix forming gerunds from verbs); or
* more likely from the rebracketing of an inklyng as a ninkiling, from Middle English inklen (“to mention (in a low voice); to tell (the truth)”) [and other forms] + -ing, -inge; inklen may be derived from inca, inke (“dread, fear; doubt; danger, risk (?)”), from Old English inca (“doubt, uncertainty; suspicion; fear; cause for complaint, grievance, grudge, ill-will, offence; quarrel; occasion, opportunity”), from Proto-Germanic *inkô (“ache; grief; regret”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eng-, *yenǵ- (“illness”). The English word would then be analysable as inkle + -ing.
Sense 3 (“desire, inclination”) may have been influenced by incline (“to tend to believe or do something”) or French enclin (“inclined, prone”).
noun inklings
-
Usually preceded by forms of to give: a slight hint, implication, or suggestion given., A vague idea about something.
[T]he present recalled the past, robed in the memories of its thousand dark and damning deeds of ignorance and superstition, and gave inklings of a brighter and better future; [...]
Similar: intimation
- Often preceded by forms of to get or to have: an imprecise idea or slight knowledge of something; a suspicion. If that a Pearl may in a Toads-head dwell, / And may be found too in an Oiſter-ſhell; / If things that promiſe nothing, do contain / What better is then Gold; who will diſdain / (That have an inkling of it,) there to look, / That they may find it?
- A desire, an inclination. I requested brother Weder to come up into the stand and commence the preaching. But, inasmuch as he had his own notion about such things, having an inkling towards Quakerism within him,—that is, not to speak until he felt moved to do so, and this inspiration was wanting,—he refused to preach, and re
inkling²
- /ˈɪŋklɪŋ/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ɪŋklɪŋ
Where it comes from
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
verb
- present participle and gerund of inkle
Translations
Every language
noun slight hint, implication, or suggestion given
| Español | menor indicio, algo que da a entender, algo que hace pensar que |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 暗示 anji, 疑惑 giwaku |
| 中文 | 暗示 ànshì, 端倪 duānní |
| Português | suspeita |
| Français | soupçon |
| Deutsch | Ahnung |
| Italiano | allusione, indizio, percezione, sentore, sospetto |
| Русский | дога́дка dogádka, намёк namjók, подозре́ние podozrénije |
noun imprecise idea or slight knowledge of something — see also suspicion
| Español | menor idea |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Schimmer |
Talk about this word "inkling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/inkling. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. inkling. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/inkling "inkling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/inkling.Cite this
@misc{inkling_2026,
title = {inkling},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/inkling},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
