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Synonyms

building

American  
[bil-ding] / ˈbɪl dɪŋ /

noun

  1. a relatively permanent enclosed construction over a plot of land, having a roof and usually windows and often more than one level, used for any of a wide variety of activities, as living, entertaining, or manufacturing.

  2. anything built built or constructed.

  3. the act, business, or practice of constructing houses, office buildings, etc.


building British  
/ ˈbɪldɪŋ /

noun

  1. something built with a roof and walls, such as a house or factory

  2. the act, business, occupation, or art of building houses, boats, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Building, edifice, structure refer to something built. Building and structure may apply to either a finished or an unfinished product of construction, and carry no implications as to size or condition. Edifice is a more formal word and narrower in application, referring to a completed structure, and usually a large and imposing one. Building generally connotes a useful purpose (houses, schools, business offices, etc.); structure suggests the planning and constructive process.

Other Word Forms

  • buildingless adjective
  • underbuilding noun

Etymology

Origin of building

First recorded in 1250–1300, building is from the Middle English word byldinge. See build, -ing 1

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.

These include building rigid DNA joints, incorporating flexible components, and using folding techniques inspired by origami.

From Science Daily

These interactions are thought to have played a major role in shaping the early Solar System and may have contributed to the delivery of life's building blocks to Earth.

From Science Daily

“We’re building data centers everywhere. And that’s actually putting pressure on all kinds of goods and services that go into building these things. So that’s actually probably pushing inflation up at the margin,” he said.

From Barron's

“We’re building data centers everywhere. And that’s actually putting pressure on all kinds of goods and services that go into building these things. So that’s actually probably pushing inflation up at the margin,” he said.

From Barron's

The trend has been supercharged by national strategies such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 that are aimed at capitalizing on oil wealth—before the crude runs out—by building future-proof industries from finance to tourism.

From The Wall Street Journal