dying
UK[ˈdaɪ.ɪŋ]US[ˈdaɪ.ɪŋ]
adj
About to die or come to an end
adj
Very strongly felt or desired, especially at the moment of death or end
n
The process of approaching death; the final moments of life
Etymology
The verb 'die' entered Middle English from Old Norse 'deyja', meaning "to die, pass away," which itself derives from the Proto-Germanic root dawjaną. This Germanic root is of uncertain deeper origin, though it may be connected to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to divide, perish." The '-ing' suffix is the common Germanic present participle ending, used to form adjectives and verbal nouns. The semantic journey is direct: from the concrete act of ceasing to live, the participle 'dying' extends metaphorically to describe anything in its final, fading moments or to intensify a feeling as if expressed at life's end.
Analysis
The word 'dying' is the present participle and gerund of the verb 'die'. It is not productively formed from distinct, separable morphemes in modern English. The base verb 'die' is a simplex unit.
Examples
The doctors are doing everything they can for the dying patient.
His dying wish was for his family to reconcile.
She was dying to know what the surprise was.