offering
Americannoun
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something offered in worship or devotion, as to a deity; an oblation or sacrifice.
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a contribution given to or through the church for a particular purpose, as at a religious service.
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anything offered as a gift.
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something presented for inspection or sale.
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a sale.
our spring offering of furniture.
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the act of one who offers.
noun
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something that is offered
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a contribution to the funds of a religious organization
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a sacrifice, as of an animal, to a deity
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of offering
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English offrung; equivalent to offer + -ing 1
Explanation
An offering is a type of offer or bid, like the kind made in a business meeting. When you offer something—like a cookie—you're asking someone if they want it. An offering is like that: it's an offer. One type of offering is a proposal or bid made in business. A sports team could make an offering of three million dollars a year to a running back. A bidder could make an offering of one thousand dollars at an auction. An offering is a promise to pay that much if the offering is accepted.
Vocabulary lists containing offering
King Tut Day
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Ship Breaker
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Novel Study: The Road, Pages 1–175
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Two weeks after the letter had been delivered, a response was sent to the staff outlining actions that had occurred over the previous few months, and offering to meet to discuss further.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
SK hynix said proceeds from the offering would be used to fund chip facilities -- including its first fab at South Korea's Yongin semiconductor cluster, an advanced packaging facility in Cheongju, and chipmaking equipment.
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
“I shared my opinion that offering patients the opportunity to opt out once they have received a solicitation is too late because ‘you can’t un-creep people out,’” she added.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
It then began offering yuan-denominated swap lines via its central bank to indebted countries, effectively making China a lender of last resort to poorer nations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
I had asked, so desperately, as if I were offering rubbish instead of gold.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
