The word 'tripling' is built upon the core concept of 'three', inherited from the Proto-Indo-European root trei-. This root passed into Greek as tri- and Latin as tri-, combining in Latin with -plus (meaning 'fold') to form triplus, meaning 'threefold'. The adjective entered English as 'triple'. The addition of the frequentative or verb-forming suffix '-le' created the verb 'to triple', meaning to make threefold. Finally, the present participle/gerund suffix '-ing' is appended, a direct descendant from Old English, to form 'tripling', which denotes the action or state of multiplying by three. Thus, the word's journey encapsulates a mathematical operation through layers of classical and Germanic morphology.

Structure: trip (three) + le (verb suffix) + ing (noun/participle suffix) - trip: From Latin triplus (threefold), from Greek triploos, combining tri- (three) and the root of -plus (fold). Functions as the numerical root. - le: A Middle English verbal suffix, often used to form frequentative verbs (like dazzle from daze). In triple, it forms the verb from the adjectival/nominal root. - ing: A suffix from Old English -ung, -ing, used to form verbal nouns (gerunds) and present participles.