clearing

American  

[kleer-ing] / ˈklɪər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that clears; the process of becoming clear.

2. a tract of land, as in a forest, that contains no trees or bushes.

3. the reciprocal exchange between banks of checks and drafts, and the settlement of the differences.

4. clearings, the total of claims settled at a clearinghouse.

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clearing British  

/ ˈklɪərɪŋ /

noun

1. an area with few or no trees or shrubs in wooded or overgrown land

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Other Word Forms

• unclearing adjective

Etymology

Origin of clearing

First recorded in 1350–1400, clearing is from the Middle English word clering. See clear, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Soon after, we gathered under the shade of old oak trees at a large clearing with several picnic tables.

From Los Angeles Times

By clearing invasive trees and replanting native grasslands, he replenished the land’s topsoil and resurrected a dozen natural springs—which, in turn, lured back birds, insects and other wildlife.

From The Wall Street Journal

The boy could hear the clatter of the servers clearing the meal.

From Literature

The houses promised by the government were incomplete, the cement still wet, so they slept outdoors at first, terrified of snakes and other wild animals in the bushy new clearing.

From Literature

But lately, it is drawing attention for those drugs’ success at clearing a more familiar affliction: acne.

From Barron's

Related Words

• clearance
• expanse