-ing

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English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Inherited from Middle English -ing, from Old English -ing, -ung (-ing, suffix forming nouns from verbs), from Proto-West Germanic *-ingu, *-ungu, from Proto-Germanic *-ingō, *-ungō. Cognate with Saterland Frisian -enge (-ing), West Frisian -ing (-ing), Dutch -ing (-ing), Low German -ing, -ink (-ing), German -ung (-ing), Danish -ing (-ing), Swedish -ing (-ing), Icelandic -ing (-ing).

Suffix

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-ing

  1. Used to form nouns or noun-like words (or elements of noun phrases) from verbs, denoting the act of doing something, an action, or the embodiment of an action.
    1. As true nouns.
      My hearing is not good.
      I have had several meetings with him.
    2. As gerunds.
      Smoking is bad for your health.
      She has a habit of sleeping late.
      I like meeting people.
  2. Used to form nouns denoting materials or systems of objects which are used or employed in an action, or considered collectively.
    Roofing is material that is used to roof.
    Clothing is material with which one is clothed.
    The piping is a system of pipes considered collectively.
Usage notes
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Compare -tion, which can be applied to some (Latinate) nouns with almost the same meaning:

the activating of the weapon must be stopped
the act of activating the weapon must be stopped
the activation of the weapon must be stopped

In the first and third phrases the words in bold are nouns, while in the second phrase the word in bold is a gerund and the noun is act, cognate with action.

There was formerly a tendency for the final vowel of a word to contract when this suffix was added; hence carrying /ˈkæɹ(j)ɪŋ/, /ˈkæɹ(j)ɪn/, following /ˈfɒlwɪŋ/, /ˈfɒlwɪn/, but analogy has usually now resulted in restoration of the full form (e.g., /ˈkæɹi.ɪŋ/, /ˈfɒloʊ.ɪn/). [3] The same kind of analogy has resulted in pronunciations of bottling such as /ˈbɒtəlɪŋ/, /ˈbɒtəlɪn/ (for earlier /ˈbɒtlɪŋ/, /ˈbɒtlɪn/).

Synonyms
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Derived terms
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(collection):

Translations
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The translations below are a guide only. See individual words for precise translations.