sitting

American  

[sit-ing] / ˈsɪt ɪŋ /

noun

• sittings
  plural

1. the act of a person or thing that sits.

2. a period of remaining seated, as in posing for a portrait or reading a book.

3. the space on or in which one sits, as in a church.

4. a brooding, as of a hen upon eggs; incubation.

5. the number of eggs on which a bird sits during a single hatching; clutch.

6. a session, as of a court or legislature.

7. the time or space allotted to the serving of a meal to a group, as aboard a ship.

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adjective

1. (of a bird) occupying a nest of eggs for hatching.

2. of, for, or suited to sitting.

   a sitting area in the lobby.

3. holding an official position or office; occupying an appointed or elected seat; incumbent.

   a sitting pontiff.

4. in session or at work; active.

   a sitting legislature.

idioms

1. sitting pretty, in an auspicious position.

   He's been sitting pretty since he got that new job.

sitting British  

/ ˈsɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a continuous period of being seated

   I read his novel at one sitting

2. such a period in a restaurant, canteen, etc, where space and other facilities are limited

   dinner will be served in two sittings

3. the act or period of posing for one's portrait to be painted, carved, etc

4. a meeting, esp of an official body, to conduct business

5. the incubation period of a bird's eggs during which the mother sits on them to keep them warm

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adjective

1. in office

   a sitting Member of Parliament

2. (of a hen) brooding eggs

3. seated

   in a sitting position

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sittings
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sitting

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at sit ¹, -ing ¹, -ing ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sitting sittings

My stepmother was sitting right there in her favorite green dress, which she wears to almost every family occasion.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

He said: "It's a bit of a nightmare because we're sitting here for a couple of hours really not knowing what's going to happen."

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

To be clear, I’m not sitting here rubbing my hands with glee, thinking I’m immune to dementia or a heart attack and I’ll stay young forever.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

"Luckily, there's an experimental drug sitting on the shelf that's already been shown to be safe in humans," said Saltiel.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

I focus on the bleachers and my eyes find Mom and Nate at the end, sitting on either side of Zara’s mom’s wheelchair.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

It’s a trim book—you can read it in a couple of sittings or on a long flight—but it’s perhaps best enjoyed in small doses, a chapter or two at a time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Runcie, a former arts columnist for the Daily Telegraph, has created something so delightfully snackable that you may, as I did, gulp it down in two or three sittings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2025

The first season ended in April and dropped weekly, but waiting to gulp down episodes in a couple of sittings may be more rewarding than taking it in over a couple of months.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2025

There were also two separate sittings with just the crown.

From BBC ● May 6, 2025

Leah and Maggie held daily sittings in front of the parlor fire at a hotel called the Phelps House.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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Related Words

• situated

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