quarreling
UK[ˈkwɒrəlɪŋ]US[ˈkwɑːrəlɪŋ]
v
(present participle or gerund) arguing angrily or having a disagreement
Etymology
the verb "quarrel" originates from the late middle english term, derived from old french quereler, meaning 'to complain' or 'to dispute'. this old french verb finds its source in a vulgar latin word querelare, itself stemming from latin queri, meaning 'to complain' or 'lament'. the core semantic thread from its latin ancestor involves expressing grief or complaint, which narrowed in english to specifically denote an angry argument or dispute. the "-ing" suffix is the modern english present participle ending, used to form continuous tenses or gerunds, tracing back to the old english suffix "-ende" and the proto-germanic "-andjaz".
Analysis
the word "quarreling" is the present participle/gerund form of the verb "quarrel." it is treated as a simplex unit for morpheme analysis as segmenting it further ("quarrel" + "ing") would separate a grammatical suffix from an unanalyzable root in modern english.
Examples
the children were quarreling over who would get the last piece of cake.
i could hear the neighbors quarreling through the thin walls.
they have been quarreling about politics all evening.