coursing
UK[ˈkɔːsɪŋ]US[ˈkɔːrsɪŋ]
n
The sport of hunting animals (especially hares) with dogs that use sight rather than scent to pursue their quarry.
n
The action of moving or flowing swiftly.
Morpheme Breakdown
cours
ing
cours
to run
ing
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'coursing' originates from the Latin verb currere, meaning "to run," which gave rise to cursus, signifying a course or path of running. This term passed into Old French as cours, retaining the core sense of movement along a path. In English, the addition of the agentive '-ing' suffix transformed the verb into a noun specifically denoting the action or sport of running pursuit. Thus, the literal concept of "running" evolved from a general physical action to the abstract, organized activity of hunting with sight hounds.
Analysis
Structure: cours (to run) + ing (noun suffix)
- cours: From Old French cours, from Latin cursus (a running, race, journey), from the verb currere (to run). In this word, it functions as the verbal root meaning "to run or flow."
- ing: A suffix of Germanic (Old English) origin used to form nouns from verbs, indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
They spent the afternoon coursing hares across the open field.
The coursing of the river was powerful after the spring thaw.
Coursing is a traditional sport with strict rules regarding animal welfare.