fighting
UK[ˈfaɪtɪŋ]US[ˈfaɪtɪŋ]
n
The act of taking part in a physical struggle or battle.
n
The process of trying very hard to achieve something or to oppose something.
adj
Displaying or involving great energy, determination, or aggression.
Etymology
The word 'fight' originates from the Old English 'feohtan', meaning 'to combat, contend with weapons, strive'. This term is of Germanic origin, related to Dutch 'vechten' and German 'fechten' (to fence, fight). It is traced back to the Proto-Germanic 'fehtan', which likely derives from the Proto-Indo-European root 'pek-', meaning 'to pluck' or 'to pull', a sense that evolved metaphorically into the concept of a struggle where one pulls or wrestles with an opponent. Over centuries, the core meaning of physical conflict broadened to include metaphorical struggles against adversity or for a cause. The '-ing' form, as a noun or adjective, concretizes the action or state derived from this enduring verb.
Analysis
The word 'fighting' is a simplex form derived from the Old English verb 'feohtan'. It is not productively segmented into distinct, meaningful morphemes in modern English. The '-ing' suffix is a modern inflectional addition (present participle/gerund) from Old English '-ende' and '-ung', not a separate lexical morpheme in this analysis.
Examples
The two boxers showed incredible skill during the fighting.
She has a fighting chance of recovering fully from the illness.
His fighting spirit inspired everyone on the team.