atheling Meaning, Definition & Usage

Ath"el*ing noun
Etymology
AS. æeling noble, fr. æele noble, akin to G. adel nobility, edel noble. The word æel, E. ethel, is in many AS. proper names, as Ethelwolf, noble wolf; Ethelbald, noble bold; Ethelbert, noble bright.
Definitions
  1. An Anglo-Saxon prince or nobleman; esp., the heir apparent or a prince of the royal family. Written also Adeling and Ætheling.

Webster 1913