the word's core derives from the greek myth of king tantalus, who was punished in the underworld by being placed in a pool of water that receded when he tried to drink and under fruit-laden branches that lifted away when he reached to eat. this created the verb 'tantalize', meaning to torment or tease with the sight or promise of something unattainable. the addition of the adjectival suffix '-ing' forms the participle 'tantalizing', describing something that provokes such desire. finally, the adverbial suffix '-ly' modifies the entire construction, creating a word that describes the manner in which an action is performed so as to excite desire while withholding satisfaction. the evolution captures the journey from a specific mythological name to a broad psychological concept describing a state of provocative allure.

Structure: tantaliz(e) (to torment with desire) + ing (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix) tantaliz(e) (from latin 'tantalus', a mythological king, via the verb 'tantalize'); ing (from old english '-ende', '-ing', forming present participles and adjectives); ly (from old english '-līc', forming adverbs from adjectives).