- present participle of eat.
eating
Americannoun
-
the act of a person or thing that eats.
-
food with reference to its quality or tastiness when eaten.
This fish is delicious eating.
adjective
-
used in eating.
They brought out plates and eating utensils for dinner.
-
good or fit to eat, especially raw.
A sweet, crisp Gala is the perfect eating apple for a summer salad.
noun
adjective
-
relating to or suitable for eating, esp uncooked
eating pears
-
relating to or for eating
an eating house
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of eating
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English; eat ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses; eat ( def. ) + -ing 2 for the adjective senses
Explanation
Eating is the act of consuming food. It would be nice to have lunch in the library instead of the cafeteria — but unfortunately, they don't allow any eating in there. The process of taking food in through your mouth — biting, chewing, tasting, swallowing — is eating. Figuratively, eating can also mean "wasting or destroying," the way rust consumes metal or anxiety gradually destroys a person's mental health. As an adjective, eating means "used for consuming," as in a set of eating utensils, complete with a spoon, fork, and knife. The Germanic etan, "consume or devour," is the root of eating.
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.
“She is eating on her own, her energy and alertness have noticeably improved, and she has become much more feisty during feedings.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Those in the time-restricted group generally ate between 10 a.m and 6 p.m. and made sure to stop eating four hours before bed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
When life gets you down, Danny Palumbo opines, nothing is more soothing than eating a meal prepared with love.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
But is the US really eating through ammunition so fast that it may struggle to fulfil its military duties and objectives?
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
I wasn’t eating or sleeping much and was even quieter than normal.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
