Obs. exc. Hist. Also 1–3 æðeling, 4–8 adelyng, -ing, 9 etheling, ætheling. [OE. aðeling, f. æðel noble family + -ing belonging to; = OS. eđiling, OFris. etheling, edling, OHG. adaling. (In med.L. adal-, adelingus.)]
A member of a noble family, a prince, lord, baron; in OE. poetry often used in pl. for ‘men’ (viri); in later writers often restricted as a historical term to a prince of the blood royal, or even to the heir apparent to the throne.
a. 1000. Crist (Gr.), 158. Crist nerʓende! wuldres æðeling! Ibid., Gen. (Gr.), 1161. Héht him céosan æðelingas.
1057. O. E. Chron. (Laud). On þisum ʓeare com Ædward æðeling Eadmundes sunu cynges hider to lande.
c. 1205. Lay., 5375. Heo axeden aðelinges war leye þa kinges.
1297. R. Glouc., 354. Þe kunde eir, þe ȝonge chyld, Edgar Aþelyng. Wo so were next kyng bykunde, me clupeþ hym Aþelyng.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. I. 277. Comounliche he þat comeþ of kynges blood is i-cleped Adelyngus.
1756. Nugent, Montesquieu’s Spir. Laws, xxx. xix. (1758), II. 384. Six hundred sous for the murder of an adeling.
1844. Lingard, Anglo-S. Ch. (1858), I. ii. 91. Ethelings, or princes of the blood.
1861. Hook, Lives Abps., I. iii. 142. In the Atheling Alchfrid, Wilfrid had a friend.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), I. 493. The Ætheling was taken to Ely.
