belonging

American  

[bih-lawng-ing, -long-] / bɪˈlɔŋ ɪŋ, -ˈlɒŋ- /

noun

1. something that belongs.

2. belongings, possessions; goods; personal effects.

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belonging British  

/ bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ /

noun

1. secure relationship; affinity (esp in the phrase a sense of belonging )

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Other Word Forms

• unbelonging adjective

Etymology

Origin of belonging

First recorded in 1595–1605; belong + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

They escorted Hansen back to the locker room to collect their belongings and offered a private place to change.

From Los Angeles Times

To compound her grief, Jill has had no contact with baby Regina since June's death – and is devastated that her daughter's belongings have disappeared.

From BBC

Palace officials say that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—he lost his right to a title due to fallout from the scandal—will be back to collect his belongings in the coming weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal

But we do know that in the 2023 case 20 mobiles belonging to migrants went missing for 25 days.

From BBC

“We believe every girl deserves the opportunity to build teamwork, leadership, and belonging through sports.”

From Los Angeles Times