landing

American  

[lan-ding] / ˈlæn dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that lands.

   The pilot brought his plane in for a landing.

2. a place where persons or goods are landed, as from a ship.

   The boat moored at the landing.

3. Architecture.

   1. a platform between flights of stairs.

   2. the floor at the head or foot of a flight of stairs.

4. Shipbuilding.

   1. the overlap of two plates or planks, as in a clinker-built shell.

   2. the distance between the center of a rivet hole and the edge of the plate or shape into which it is cut.

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landing British  

/ ˈlændɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the act of coming to land, esp after a flight or sea voyage

   2. ( as modifier )

      landing place

2. a place of disembarkation

3. the floor area at the top of a flight of stairs or between two flights of stairs

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Usage

What does landing mean? Landing is the act of returning to the ground after having been in flight or up in the air. It can also be used to refer to the act of returning to the land after having been in water. Landing also commonly refers to an instance of doing this. This especially involves aircraft, as in That was a rough landing. But it can also be applied to a person, as in She’ll have to stick the landing if she wants a perfect score. Landing can also mean a place where ships can dock. It can also refer to the floor at the top of a flight of stairs or the platform between two flights of stairs. The landing often has a bigger surface area than the steps and is usually positioned between flights when they change directions. The word landing comes is also the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb land, as in We will be landing shortly. Example: I’m much more nervous during the landing than at takeoff.

Other Word Forms

• postlanding
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of landing

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at land, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The vehicle is part of a commercial demonstration effort aimed at strengthening Human Landing System capabilities for NASA's Artemis program.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

Colony Ridge repossessed more than 15,000 lots, many owned by immigrants, a 2023 investigation by the Houston Landing found.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

“In addition to serving as a public-use airport, Fresno’s geographical location, runway capabilities, and Instrument Landing Systems make it an optimal choice for a wide range of aircraft operations.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

It starred South Korea's top actors -- "Squid Game" star Lee Byung-hun and "Crash Landing on You" actress Son Ye-jin -- in the lead.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

When he had gone to King's Landing to sit on Robert's council, he had left Selyse on Dragonstone with their daughter.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• dock