Definition of the word suckle

The word "suckle" is derived from the Old English word "sucklan," which meant "to drink noisily," specifically in reference to a baby sucking on a mother's breast. The Old English word "sucklan" was originally a compound word consisting of the prefix "suc-," meaning "to drink," and the suffix "-lan," meaning "to repeat." The prefix "suc-" itself can be traced back to the Indo-European root "suk-," which signified "to suck." Over time, the meaning of the Old English word "sucklan" evolved to specifically refer to the act of a baby nursing at its mother's breast. This meaning is preserved in Modern English in the verb "suckle," which is now primarily used to describe the act of a mother nursing her baby. Interestingly, the Old English word "sucklan" also had other meanings related to drinking, including "to drink eagerly" and "to drink loudly," as evidenced by its use in phrases such as "sucklige watra," meaning "water to drink eagerly." These older meanings shed light on the origin of the word and its connection to the act of suckling. In summary, the word "suckle" is derived from the Old English word "sucklan," which had its roots in the Indo-European root "suk-" and originally meant "to drink noisily," including the specific context of a baby nursing at its mother's breast. Over time, this meaning became more specialized and specific to the context of nursing.