floating

American  

[floh-ting] / ˈfloʊ tɪŋ /

adjective

1. being buoyed up on water or other liquid.

2. having little or no attachment to a particular place; moving from one place to another.

   a floating workforce.

3. Pathology. away from its proper position, especially in a downward direction.

   a floating kidney.

4. not fixed or settled in a definite place or state.

   a floating population.

5. Finance.

   1. in circulation or use, or not permanently invested, as capital.

   2. composed of sums due within a short time.

      a floating debt.

6. Machinery.

   1. having a soft suspension greatly reducing vibrations between the suspended part and its support.

   2. working smoothly.

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floating British  

/ ˈfləʊtɪŋ /

adjective

1. having little or no attachment

2. (of an organ or part) displaced from the normal position or abnormally movable

   a floating kidney

3. not definitely attached to one place or policy; uncommitted or unfixed

   the floating vote

4. finance

   1. (of capital) not allocated or invested; available for current use

   2. (of debt) short-term and unfunded, usually raised by a government or company to meet current expenses

   3. (of a currency) free to fluctuate against other currencies in accordance with market forces

5. machinery operating smoothly through being free from external constraints

6. (of an electronic circuit or device) not connected to a source of voltage

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Other Word Forms

• floatingly adverb
• nonfloating adjective
• nonfloatingly adverb
• unfloating adjective

Etymology

Origin of floating

First recorded in 1555–65; float + -ing ²

Example Sentences

With £32m still missing, Kochan says much of that cash may have been absorbed into general circulation, now "floating around in our shops, in our pockets, in our banks".

From BBC

By floating Northern Songs, they made their work fungible and tradable.

From The Wall Street Journal

Visually, “Sun Ra: Do the Impossible” strives to be a representation of its subject’s floating collage of philosophies, theologies and ecstatic musical aspirations.

From The Wall Street Journal

The city’s Department of Water and Power is already considering options for improving the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which was empty and awaiting repairs of its floating cover when the Palisades fire erupted.

From Los Angeles Times

“The ecosystem is taking a hit,” he said, pointing to white globules floating on the surface next to the ferry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• soaring