Etymology: Cognate with Middle Dutch gadelinc , gedelinc , of uncertain sense, perhaps ‘partner, associate’, Old Saxon gaduling relative, fellow countryman (Middle Low German gēdelinc , gādelinc ), Old High German gataling , gateling relative, fellow countryman (Middle High German getelinc , getlinc , German regional (Bavarian) Gättling , Gettling ), and (with different medial vowel) Gothic gadiliggs cousin < the same Germanic base seen in Old English gæd fellowship, society, (with prefixation) gegada companion, associate, and (with suffixation) geador together (see together adv., prep., n., and adj. and also gather v.) + the Germanic base of -ling suffix¹.A similar pejorative sense development as in Middle English (compare sense A. 3 and note at sense A. 2) is attested for the German cognate, for which the senses ‘fellow, person of low or peasant status’ are attested from Middle High German onwards. Sense A. 4 is probably to be explained as a further sense development of sense A. 3, reflecting social prejudice against travellers. Especially in later use (and also in use as adjective) it appears to be semantically associated with gad v.¹, which itself is perhaps originally derived from gadling n.¹ (see discussion at the former entry); compare quots. 1860 at sense A. 4, 1928 at sense B. Compare gadder n.¹

Etymology: < gad n.¹ + -ling suffix¹.