Dictionary.com
Word
of the
Day
Translate
Games
Blog
Thesaurus.com
Favorites
Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
My Account
Log Out
Log In
Try Our Apps
definitions
definitions
synonyms
translations
Follow @dictionarycom
follow Dictionary.com
Famous Last Words
Favorite Button
CITE
Translate
Facebook
Share
Twitter
Tweet
Google+
Share
waiting
[
wey
-ting]
/ˈweɪ tɪŋ/
Spell
Syllables
Word Origin
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
noun
1.
a period of
waiting
; pause, interval, or delay.
adjective
2.
serving or being in attendance:
waiting man;
waiting maid;
waiting woman.
Idioms
3.
in waiting,
in attendance, as upon a royal personage.
Origin of
waiting
Expand
Middle English
1150-1200
1150-1200;
Middle English
(noun); see
wait
,
-ing
1
,
-ing
2
Related forms
Expand
waitingly,
adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
Cite This Source
Idioms and Phrases with
in waiting
Expand
in waiting
In attendance, especially on a royal personage. For example,
The prelates who were in waiting asked him to take the last rites
. This usage has become less common with the diminution of royalty and royal courts but still survives.
[
Late 1600s
]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Discover our greatest slideshows
US vs. UK Food Fight!
Screen Girls Got Slang!
Cleaner Than a Frog’s Armpit:...
Take Flight with These 8 Dragons...
Browse more topics on our blog
What Is the Difference Between Discreet and Discrete?
Learn the correct uses of these two commonly confused homophones.
What Character Was Removed from the Alphabet?
What mistaken pronunciation gave this character its name?
Apostrophes 101
This small mark has two primary uses: to signify possession or omitted letters.
How Do I Get a Word into the Dictionary?
People invent new words all the time, but which ones actually make it?
Word of the Day
Difficulty index for
waiting
Most English speakers likely know this word
Word Value for
in
2
3
Scrabble
Words With Friends
Nearby words for in waiting
in vitro
in vitro fertilization
in vivo
in vivo fertilization
in wait
in waiting
in with, be
in your dreams
in your ear
in your face
in't
Heartbreak
