eating
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that eats.
-
food with reference to its quality or tastiness when eaten.
This fish is delicious eating.
adjective
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used in eating.
They brought out plates and eating utensils for dinner.
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good or fit to eat, especially raw.
A sweet, crisp Gala is the perfect eating apple for a summer salad.
noun
adjective
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relating to or suitable for eating, esp uncooked
eating pears
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relating to or for eating
an eating house
Other Word Forms
- uneating adjective
Etymology
Origin of eating
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English; eat ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses; eat ( def. ) + -ing 2 for the adjective senses
Explanation
Eating is the act of consuming food. It would be nice to have lunch in the library instead of the cafeteria — but unfortunately, they don't allow any eating in there. The process of taking food in through your mouth — biting, chewing, tasting, swallowing — is eating. Figuratively, eating can also mean "wasting or destroying," the way rust consumes metal or anxiety gradually destroys a person's mental health. As an adjective, eating means "used for consuming," as in a set of eating utensils, complete with a spoon, fork, and knife. The Germanic etan, "consume or devour," is the root of eating.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Canadian Rangers on the patrol suffered a bout of food poisoning, likely from the military rations they were eating.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
When you think of eating in Paris, bistros come to mind.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Americans are eating more salty and function-driven snacks, while traditional sweets—particularly chocolate—face growing pressure.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
“Inflation is almost eating up the entirety of Americans’ wage gains already,” Long added.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
“I got bored eating books and decided to help you level up. Where are you?”
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
