the word 'stiffening' is built upon the old english adjective stīf, which conveyed the sense of being rigid or unbending. the addition of the verb-forming suffix -en created the verb 'stiffen', meaning to make or become stiff. finally, the application of the gerund or action noun suffix -ing yields the noun 'stiffening', which refers to the process or result of that action. this linear morphological construction from adjective to verb to noun is a productive pattern in english, allowing for the clear expression of states, changes of state, and the actions or results associated with them.

Structure: stiff (rigid) + en (verb suffix) + ing (noun suffix) stiff (from old english stīf, meaning rigid, firm); en (from old english -nian, a verb-forming suffix meaning to become or make); ing (from old english -ung, a noun-forming suffix denoting action or result).