adeling, atheling

[A.S. Æthe ling, adelyng the son of a king, a prince, one of the royal blood, the heir apparent to the crown, a nobleman next in rank to the king. (Bosworth.) From æthel, æthele = noble, and ling state or condition of a person. In Sw. adelig; Dut. edel; Ger. edel and adelig = noble. In Sp. hidalgo = an inferior grade of nobleman. In Arab. athala is to be well rooted, Poet.: Eden. "For thee in those bright isles is built a bower, Blooming as Aden in its earliest hour." Byron: Bride of Abydos , canto ii. 20,