whiting

¹ American  

[hwahy-ting, wahy-] / ˈʰwaɪ tɪŋ, ˈwaɪ- /

noun

plural

whiting,

plural

whitings

1. a slender food fish of the genus Menticirrhus, of the croaker family, inhabiting waters along the Atlantic coast of North America.

2. the hake, Merluccius bilinearis.

3. any of several European fishes of the cod family, especially Merlangus merlangus.

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whiting ² American  

[hwahy-ting, wahy-] / ˈʰwaɪ tɪŋ, ˈwaɪ- /

noun

1. pure-white chalk (calcium carbonate) that has been ground and washed, used in making putty, whitewash, silver polish, etc.

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whiting ¹ British  

/ ˈwaɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. an important gadoid food fish, Merlangius (or Gadus ) merlangus, of European seas, having a dark back with silvery sides and underparts

2. any of various similar fishes, such as Merluccius bilinearis, a hake of American Atlantic waters, and any of several Atlantic sciaenid fishes of the genus Menticirrhus

3. any of several marine food fishes of the genus Sillago

4. another name for bib

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whiting ² British  

/ ˈwaɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called: whitening.  white chalk that has been ground and washed, used in making whitewash, metal polish, etc

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Etymology

Origin of whiting¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, perhaps alteration of Old English hwītling a kind of fish; compare Middle Dutch witinc, of which the English may be a translation

Origin of whiting²

1400–50; late Middle English; compare Old English hwīting-, in hwītingmelu; see meal ². See white, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

And valuations have become relatively cheap, especially since CEO Lawson Whiting told analysts in early March that market conditions have remained “largely unchanged” for the past several quarters.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

She is currently pursuing a master's degree in computer science at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

On Sunday, the festival chair, Tracey Whiting, announced she, too, had resigned with immediate effect.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park was closed until further notice after people reported two mountain lion sightings, one of which was captured on video and featured unusual behavior, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2025

“What is the baby’s name?” asked Mr. Whiting, preparing to depart.

From Black-Eyed Susan by Phillips, Ethel Calvert