'weakling' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'wāc', where 'wāc' meant 'weak' and the suffix '-ling' meant 'young person, descendant, or person characterized by'.

'weakling' changed from Middle English forms such as 'weking'/'wekling' and eventually became the modern English word 'weakling'.

Initially, it referred to someone small or young and weak; over time it evolved into its current sense of a person who is physically or morally weak (often used pejoratively to mean 'coward').