foraging

American  

[fawr-i-jing, for-] / ˈfɔr ɪ dʒɪŋ, ˈfɒr- /

noun

1. the acquisition of food by hunting, fishing, or the gathering of plant matter.

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adjective

1. characterized by or dependent upon the acquisition of food by such means; food-gathering.

   a foraging people.

Etymology

Origin of foraging

First recorded in 1480–90; forage ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun, forage ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

The whales were believed to have died in such numbers in this particular area because it is a popular foraging habitat -- and has a V-shaped trench that funnels carcasses to the seafloor.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

His wife embraced a DIY renaissance in retirement, engaging in fixing, foraging and creating from scratch.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

It also recorded bumblebee visits to investigate the impacts of heatwaves on foraging behaviour.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

For ants exposed to 25 ppm of caffeine, foraging time decreased by 28 percent with each visit.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

Toward dusk, the foraging group I’d been tailing began to call out and move to the center of the enclosure.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer