When Did Whinge Become a Word?

The first records of the word whinge come from before 1150. The word comes from the Old English word hwinsian, meaning “to whine” (the word whine is related).

What's the difference between whine and whinge?

The verb “whinge” goes back to the Old English word “hwinsian.” Though these two words share a root word, “whinge” has always meant “to complain” and nothing else, while “whine” includes more sounds and meanings.

When did whining become whinging?

Both words are very old; “whine” dates from 1275 and “whinge” from 1150. Originally, “whine” referred merely to the sound. But “whinge” implied a wailing or crying: the sound was one of distress. Eventually, to “whine” also came to mean complain or express discontent.