A hint, suspicion, or vague idea about something without having complete information.
From Middle English 'inkle' (to hint), possibly from Dutch or Old English roots meaning to suggest faintly. The diminutive '-ing' suffix made it 'a little hint,' eventually meaning a slight notion or suspicion.
An inkling is literally a tiny, barely-visible mark—like the smallest drop of ink—which is why it means a faint idea you can barely see. Medieval writers used it to describe the moment when a thought isn't quite formed but you sense it's coming.
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