• IPA: /ˈlaɪkɪŋ/

From Middle English likinge, likinde, likende, likande, licande, from Old English līciende, līciġende, from Proto-Germanic *līkāndz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *līkāną, equivalent to like + -ing.

1. Present participle and gerund of like

From Middle English likinge, from Old English līcung, equivalent to like + -ing.

liking

1. A like; a predilection.
   • 1859, John Stuart Mill, “Introductory”, in On Liberty, London: John W[illiam] Parker and Son, […], →OCLC ↗, page 17 ↗:

     The likings and dislikings of society, or of some powerful portion of it, are thus the main thing which has practically determined the rules laid down for general observance, under the penalties of law or opinion.

2. (archaic) Approval.

   goods bought on liking

• See Thesaurus:predilection

• French: sympathie, goût
• German: Zuneigung, Sympathie, Geschmack, Vorliebe
• Portuguese: gosto
• Russian: скло́нность
• Spanish: gusto