parking

American  

[par-king] / ˈpær kɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that parks, especially a vehicle.

2. space in which to park vehicles, as at a place of business or a public event.

   There's plenty of free parking at the stadium.

3. permission to park vehicles.

   Is there parking on this side of the street?

4. the activity or occupation of a person who operates or works in a parking lot, garage, or the like.

5. parking strip.

6. Informal. the act of kissing and caressing in a parked car.

   Some of the couples went parking on their way home from the dance.

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adjective

1. of, pertaining to, used for, or engaged in parking, especially of vehicles.

   parking regulations; a parking ticket; a parking space; a parking attendant.

Other Word Forms

• unparking
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of parking

First recorded in 1520–30; park + -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Employment fell by 133,000 in February during a severe winter freeze when parking was hard to find and people stayed off the road.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

But that land area is just slightly less than L.A.’s estimated 27 square miles of surface parking lots.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

They drive to warehouses and parking lots at odd hours.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Driving interventions were for things such as parking spots or adjusting the route on the fly.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

No, he turns into an abandoned parking lot and stops the car haphazardly between two spaces.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• embracing