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definitions
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gardening

[gahrd-ning]
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noun
  1. the act of cultivating or tending a garden.
  2. the work or art of a gardener.
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Origin of gardening

First recorded in 1570–80; garden + -ing1

garden

[gahr-dn]
noun
  1. a plot of ground, usually near a house, where flowers, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, or herbs are cultivated.
  2. a piece of ground or other space, commonly with ornamental plants, trees, etc., used as a park or other public recreation area: a public garden.
  3. a fertile and delightful spot or region.
  4. British. yard2(def 1).
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adjective
  1. pertaining to, produced in, or suitable for cultivation or use in a garden: fresh garden vegetables; garden furniture.
  2. garden-variety.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to lay out, cultivate, or tend a garden.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to cultivate as a garden.
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Idioms
  1. lead up/down the garden path, to deceive or mislead in an enticing way; lead on; delude: The voters had been led up the garden path too often to take a candidate's promises seriously.
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Origin of garden

1300–50; Middle English gardin < Old North French gardin, Old French jardin < Germanic; compare Old High German gartin-, German Garten, yard2
Related formsgar·den·a·ble, adjectivegar·den·less, adjectivegar·den·like, adjectiveun·gar·dened, adjectivewell-gar·dened, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

landscapingcultivationplantinggrowingfloriculturetillage

Examples from the Web for gardening

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Agriculture, gardening, and the chase had not absorbed all the strength at our disposal.

    Freeland

    Theodor Hertzka

  • He threw them away, and went on digging as coolly as if he had been gardening.

  • I don't know much about gardening, but I know enough for that.

    Great Uncle Hoot-Toot

    Mrs. Molesworth

  • Entered the gardening and orchard business when a young man.

  • They had got out their gardening tools, and were hard at work in one of the flower-beds.

    Five Mice in a Mouse-trap

    Laura E. Richards

British Dictionary definitions for gardening

gardening

noun
    1. the planning and cultivation of a garden
    2. (as modifier)gardening gloves
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garden

noun
  1. British
    1. an area of land, usually planted with grass, trees, flowerbeds, etc, adjoining a houseUS and Canadian word: yard
    2. (as modifier)a garden chair
    1. an area of land used for the cultivation of ornamental plants, herbs, fruit, vegetables, trees, etc
    2. (as modifier)garden tools Related adjective: horticultural
  3. (often plural) such an area of land that is open to the public, sometimes part of a parkbotanical gardens
    1. a fertile and beautiful region
    2. (as modifier)a garden paradise
  5. (modifier) provided with or surrounded by a garden or gardensa garden flat
  6. lead a person up the garden path informal to mislead or deceive a person
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adjective
  1. common or garden informal ordinary; unexceptional
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verb
  1. to work in, cultivate, or take care of (a garden, plot of land, etc)
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Derived Formsgardenless, adjectivegarden-like, adjective

Word Origin

C14: from Old French gardin, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German gart enclosure; see yard ² (sense 1)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for gardening

n.

1570s, verbal noun from garden (v.).

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garden

n.

c.1300, from Old North French gardin (13c., Modern French jardin), from Vulgar Latin hortus gardinus "enclosed garden," via Frankish *gardo, from Proto-Germanic *gardaz- (cf. Old Frisian garda, Old Saxon gardo, Old High German garto, German Garten "garden," Old English geard "enclosure," see yard (n.1)). Italian giardino, Spanish jardin are from French.

Garden-party is by 1843. Garden variety in figurative sense first recorded 1928. To lead someone up the garden path "entice, deceive" is attested by 1925.

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garden

v.

1570s, from garden (n.). Related: Gardened; gardening.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with gardening

garden

In addition to the idiom beginning with garden

  • garden variety

also see:

  • lead down the garden path
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.