Lurking

How to spell lurking

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce lurking

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does lurking mean?

1. verbWaiting or staying hidden, often quietly or with bad intent.
2. adjectiveHidden but present, ready to emerge or cause trouble.

Lurking in a sentence

• verb

  A stray dog was lurking near the bins behind the restaurant.

• adjective

  The auditors uncovered a lurking error in the spreadsheet formulas.

• verb

  She noticed a stranger lurking by the entrance to the car park.

• adjective

  A lurking sense of unease spread through the office before the layoffs.

Where does lurking come from?

Language of origin: Old Norse

This word builds on the verb 'lurk', which surfaces in Middle English as 'lurken' around the 1300s, meaning to lie in wait or stay hidden out of sight. Its deeper origin is uncertain, but the best evidence points to a Scandinavian source, with relatives in Norwegian dialect 'lurka' (to sneak away) and a likely link to the older sense of 'lour' or 'lower', meaning to look sullen or to skulk. The 'creeping, sinister' flavour was there from early on, since the word was often used for thieves, wild animals, and dangers hiding just out of view. By adding the ordinary '-ing' ending, English turns the action into the familiar participle and adjective. Because the root is short and the spelling is phonetic, the only thing to remember is the single 'r' and 'k' before the regular '-ing'.

How the word is built

• lurk (to lie hidden, wait in concealment)
• -ing (present participle / verbal suffix)