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

Etymology

Origin of sitting

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sitting sittings

Rogers testified in his own defense and said, after sitting through the trial, he’d come to understand Lee was a spy and felt he was “duped.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

“SpaceX sitting on its IPO price is far from a crisis,” Cerity Partners’ Michael Ashley Schulman previously told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

It recommended increasing the threshold to 20% of sitting days, averaged out over two sessions.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

In May 2025, just four months after he left office as the oldest sitting president, Biden revealed that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

The two of us would spend long hours sitting there beside Marlene, out in some barn or shed, as she munched her hay or straw—whatever we had found for her.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

The founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors has written a relaxed and friendly book anyone can read in a few sittings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 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

Related Words

• situated